Late marriage and the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa
- PMID: 17365874
- DOI: 10.1080/00324720601048343
Late marriage and the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract
The causes of large variation in the sizes of HIV epidemics among countries in sub-Saharan Africa are not well understood. Here we assess the potential roles of late age at marriage and a long period of premarital sexual activity as population risk factors, using ecological data from 33 sub-Saharan African countries and with individual-level data from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in Kenya and Ghana in 2003. The ecological analysis finds a significant positive correlation between HIV prevalence and median age at first marriage, and between HIV prevalence and interval between first sexual intercourse and first marriage. The individual-level analysis shows that HIV infection per year of exposure is higher before than after first marriage. These findings support the hypothesis of a link between a high average age at marriage and a long period of premarital intercourse during which partner changes are relatively common and facilitate the spread of HIV.
Similar articles
-
Sexual activity before marriage in sub-Saharan Africa.Soc Biol. 1994 Spring-Summer;41(1-2):44-60. Soc Biol. 1994. PMID: 7973840
-
Premarital fertility and HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.Afr J Reprod Health. 2008 Aug;12(2):64-74. Afr J Reprod Health. 2008. PMID: 20695042
-
HIV spread in four sub-Saharan African cities.AIDS Anal Afr. 2000 Jan;10(4):9-10. AIDS Anal Afr. 2000. PMID: 12349440
-
Sexual behavior and contraceptive knowledge and use among adolescents in developing countries.Stud Fam Plann. 1998 Jun;29(2):106-16. Stud Fam Plann. 1998. PMID: 9664626 Review.
-
The health consequences of adolescent sexual and fertility behavior in sub-Saharan Africa.Stud Fam Plann. 1998 Jun;29(2):210-32. Stud Fam Plann. 1998. PMID: 9664633 Review.
Cited by
-
Building our youth for the future.J Int AIDS Soc. 2015 Feb 26;18(2 Suppl 1):20027. doi: 10.7448/IAS.18.2.20027. eCollection 2015. J Int AIDS Soc. 2015. PMID: 25724512 Free PMC article.
-
Adverse Selection in the Marriage Market: HIV Testing and Marriage in Rural Malawi.Rev Econ Stud. 2021 Oct;88(5):2119-2148. doi: 10.1093/restud/rdaa088. Epub 2010 Dec 24. Rev Econ Stud. 2021. PMID: 35662917 Free PMC article.
-
Influence of timing of sexual debut and first marriage on sexual behaviour in later life: findings from four survey rounds in the Kisesa cohort in northern Tanzania.Sex Transm Infect. 2009 Apr;85 Suppl 1(Suppl_1):i20-6. doi: 10.1136/sti.2008.033704. Sex Transm Infect. 2009. PMID: 19307336 Free PMC article.
-
Sexual and marital trajectories and HIV infection among ever-married women in rural Malawi.Sex Transm Infect. 2009 Apr;85 Suppl 1(Suppl_1):i27-33. doi: 10.1136/sti.2008.033969. Sex Transm Infect. 2009. PMID: 19307337 Free PMC article.
-
HIV Risk Perceptions, the Transition to Marriage, and Divorce in Southern Malawi.Stud Fam Plann. 2014 Sep;45(3):315-37. doi: 10.1111/j.1728-4465.2014.00394.x. Stud Fam Plann. 2014. PMID: 25207495 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical