In addition, few major changes have been made in the design of national health and social services to accommodate and deal with the potential or existing impacts of AIDS. Three distinct epidemiological patterns have emerged for AIDS. Transmission in North America, Western Europe, and Australia focuses around homosexual acts and sharing of intravenous needles used in drug abuse. In parts of Africa, the Caribbean, and Latin America, transmission is largely heterosexual, with extensive perinatal transmission. In the Pacific and Asian regions, the prevalence of AIDS is low and linked mainly to sexual contact with infected individuals from other regions. To address the problem of AIDS, primary health care will need to focus on community-based interventions in both developed and developing societies. These interventions will need to relate to the characteristics of the groups or communities to which they are directed. The epidemic will significantly impact families, placing unprecedented burdens on family and friendship structures. Support to families affected by AIDS and efforts to overcome fear will be necessary. Finally, addressing AIDS may be more complicated than efforts to deal with previous problems in that society may have a variety of reactions rather than reflecting shared values and goals. 23 references.