Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
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.