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Polygyny and HIV in Malawi

Author

Listed:
  • Georges Reniers

    (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine)

  • Rania Tfaily

    (Carleton University)

Abstract

We review the relationship between polygyny and HIV and identify a positive individual-level correlation, and a negative ecological correlation. We subsequently examine two mechanisms that contribute to the individual-level correlation. First, we find that men in polygynous marriages have more extramarital sex than men in monogamous unions (both in terms of self reports and in terms of spousal reports of the suspicion of adultery). Second, we find evidence of adverse selection of HIV positive women into polygynous unions via an investigation of the relationship between marriage order and polygyny status. We conclude with reflections about possible explanations for the distinct individual and ecological correlations.

Suggested Citation

  • Georges Reniers & Rania Tfaily, 2008. "Polygyny and HIV in Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 19(53), pages 1811-1830.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:19:y:2008:i:53
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2008.19.53
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gausset, Quentin, 2001. "AIDS and cultural practices in Africa: the case of the Tonga (Zambia)," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 509-518, February.
    2. Nnko, Soori & Boerma, J.T.J Ties & Urassa, Mark & Mwaluko, Gabriel & Zaba, Basia, 2004. "Secretive females or swaggering males?: An assessment of the quality of sexual partnership reporting in rural Tanzania," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(2), pages 299-310, July.
    3. Simona Bignami & Georges Reniers & Alexander A. Weinreb, 2003. "An Assessment of the KDICP and MDICP Data Quality," Demographic Research Special Collections, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 1(2), pages 31-76.
    4. repec:cai:popine:popu_p1986_41n1_0122 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Georges Reniers, 2003. "Divorce and Remarriage in Rural Malawi," Demographic Research Special Collections, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 1(6), pages 175-206.
    6. Georges Reniers, 2008. "Marital strategies for regulating exposure to HIV," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 45(2), pages 417-438, May.
    7. Alex Ezeh, 1997. "Polygyny and reproductive behavior in sub-saharan Africa: A contextual analysis," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 34(3), pages 355-368, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Leung, K.Y. & Kretzschmar, M.E.E. & Diekmann, O., 2012. "Dynamic concurrent partnership networks incorporating demography," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 82(3), pages 229-239.
    2. Berit Gerritzen, 2016. "Women's Empowerment and HIV Prevention in Rural Malawi," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(3), pages 1-25, July.
    3. Alan G. Isaac & Larry Sawers, 2019. "Partnership duration and concurrent partnering: implications for models of HIV prevalence," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 14(2), pages 293-315, June.
    4. Telalagic, S., 2012. "Domestic Production as a Source of Marital Power: Theory and Evidence from Malawi," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1243, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    5. Gerritzen, Berit C., 2014. "Intra-Household Bargaining Power and HIV Prevention: Empirical Evidence from Married Couples in Rural Malawi," Economics Working Paper Series 1408, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
    6. Julia Cordero Coma, 2013. "When the group encourages extramarital sex," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(30), pages 849-880.
    7. Georges Reniers & Rania Tfaily, 2012. "Polygyny, Partnership Concurrency, and HIV Transmission in Sub-Saharan Africa," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(3), pages 1075-1101, August.
    8. Michelle Poulin & Adamson S. Muula, 2011. "An inquiry into the uneven distribution of women’s HIV infection in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 25(28), pages 869-902.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    HIV/AIDS; marriage; polygyny; sub-Saharan Africa; Malawi; sexual behavior; widowhood;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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