 |
Links between Wealth, Transactional Sex, and Risk Behavior in Kisumu, Kenya
| | Unformatted Document Text:
Links between Wealth, Transactional Sex, and Risk Behavior in Kisumu, Kenya
Nancy Luke
Assistant Professor (Research), Population Studies and Training Center
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology
Brown University
Box 1836
Providence, RI 02912
401-863-3239 Tel 401-863-3351 Fax
## email not listed ##
DRAFT PAPER: DO NOT CITE WITHOUT AUTHOR’S PERMISSION
January 2006
Abstract
Early in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, economic status was positively associated with infection. A key explanation was that wealthier men could afford multiple sexual partners—particularly commercial sex workers—and therefore faced greater risk of infection. At present, economic status is generally found to be negatively associated with HIV infection, particularly among women. It is believed that many women are motivated by poor economic conditions to engage in “transactional sex” for receipt of needed financial transfers. The relationship between wealth and HIV infection is less clear for men. On the one hand, wealth may continue to be a risk factor for men of higher economic status, who can afford to engage in transactional sex. On the other hand, wealthy men may have greater incentives to protect themselves from HIV infection than poorer men. Using survey data from men in urban Kisumu, Kenya, where HIV prevalence is estimated at 30%, we examine the relationship between men’s wealth and risk behavior. We find that economic status is positively associated with engaging in transactional sex, as expected. Economic status is not correlated with condom use, however. Much of this analysis is concerned with exploring alternative explanations for this interesting finding. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, sexual risk behavior, transactional sex, Kenya Acknowledgements: This paper is based on data from a project directed by Kaivan Munshi and Nancy Luke, Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University. We gratefully acknowledge support from the World Bank, the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, Grant number AG12836 through the Population Aging Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Mellon Foundation, the Center for AIDS Research, and the University Research Foundation at the University of Pennsylvania. We would like to thank Francis Ayuka and Survey Research Team, Nairobi, for their superb work collecting the data.
|
|
| |
|
|
Links between Wealth, Transactional Sex, and Risk Behavior in Kisumu, Kenya
Nancy Luke
Assistant Professor (Research), Population Studies and Training Center
Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology
Brown University
Box 1836
Providence, RI 02912
401-863-3239 Tel 401-863-3351 Fax
## email not listed ##
DRAFT PAPER: DO NOT CITE WITHOUT AUTHOR’S PERMISSION
January 2006
Abstract
Early in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, economic status was positively
associated with infection. A key explanation was that wealthier men could afford multiple
sexual partners—particularly commercial sex workers—and therefore faced greater risk of
infection. At present, economic status is generally found to be negatively associated with HIV
infection, particularly among women. It is believed that many women are motivated by poor
economic conditions to engage in “transactional sex” for receipt of needed financial transfers.
The relationship between wealth and HIV infection is less clear for men. On the one hand,
wealth may continue to be a risk factor for men of higher economic status, who can afford to
engage in transactional sex. On the other hand, wealthy men may have greater incentives to
protect themselves from HIV infection than poorer men. Using survey data from men in urban
Kisumu, Kenya, where HIV prevalence is estimated at 30%, we examine the relationship
between men’s wealth and risk behavior. We find that economic status is positively associated
with engaging in transactional sex, as expected. Economic status is not correlated with condom
use, however. Much of this analysis is concerned with exploring alternative explanations for this
interesting finding.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, sexual risk behavior, transactional sex, Kenya
Acknowledgements: This paper is based on data from a project directed by Kaivan Munshi and
Nancy Luke, Population Studies and Training Center, Brown University. We gratefully
acknowledge support from the World Bank, the National Institutes of Health, National Institute
on Aging, Grant number AG12836 through the Population Aging Research Center at the
University of Pennsylvania, and the Mellon Foundation, the Center for AIDS Research, and the
University Research Foundation at the University of Pennsylvania. We would like to thank
Francis Ayuka and Survey Research Team, Nairobi, for their superb work collecting the data.
|
|
 Convention | | All Academic Convention is the premier solution for your association's abstract management solutions needs. | | Submission - Custom fields, multiple submission types, tracks, audio visual, multiple upload formats, automatic conversion to pdf. | | Review - Peer Review, Bulk reviewer assignment, bulk emails, ranking, z-score statistics, and multiple worksheets! | | Reports - Many standard and custom reports generated while you wait. Print programs with participant indexes, event grids, and more! | | Scheduling - Flexible and convenient grid scheduling within rooms and buildings. Conflict checking and advanced filtering. | | Communication - Bulk email tools to help your administrators send reminders and responses. Use form letters, a message center, and much more! | | Management - Search tools, duplicate people management, editing tools, submission transfers, many tools to manage a variety of conference management headaches! | | Click here for more information. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Page 1 of 21 
