Guest Editorial: Poverty, development, and PEPFAR: A US strategy for combating the global HIV/AIDS epidemic

Special note: Science Journals, Poverty and Human Development: October, 2007IN 2005, the Council of Science Editors appointed a task force to engage science journals of all disciplines in the effort to combat world-wide poverty and disease and to establish sustainable paths for human development.⁴ That group believed that the science community has a great deal to offer in terms of anti-poverty strategies, such as resources, training, advocacy, information access, fostering of research cultures and building capacity- all in service of supporting sustainable development. Among the many activities spearheaded by this task force the Global Theme Issue on Poverty and Human Development was implemented and will come to fruition this month.⁵ Over 200 journals have agreed to publish editorials, original research, review articles, and/or perspectives related to poverty and human development- all with a common publication or release date of October 22, 2007. The intent is to raise awareness and stimulate interest and research into poverty and human development among scientists in both developing and developed countries. The board of Nursing Outlook chose to participate in this amazing initiative and have chosen the following guest editorial and submitted manuscripts that focus on issues of poverty-both internationally and in the U.S. In each of these 3 papers one can hear the voice as well as actual and potential contributions of nurses to this very challenging problem that affects communities world-wide. Marion E. Broome