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Overestimating HIV infection:

Author

Listed:
  • Phil Anglewicz

    (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health)

  • Hans-Peter Kohler

    (University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

In the absence of HIV testing, how do rural Malawians assess their HIV status? In this paper, we use a unique dataset that includes respondents’ HIV status as well as their subjective likelihood of HIV infection. These data show that many rural Malawians overestimate their likelihood of current HIV infection. The discrepancy between actual and perceived status raises an important question: Why are so many wrong? We begin by identifying determinants of self-assessed HIV status, and then compare these assessments with HIV biomarker results. Finally, we ask what characteristics of individuals are associated with errors in self-assessments.

Suggested Citation

  • Phil Anglewicz & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2009. "Overestimating HIV infection:," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 20(6), pages 65-96.
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:20:y:2009:i:6
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2009.20.6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jobiba Chinkhumba & Susan Godlonton & Rebecca Thornton, 2014. "The Demand for Medical Male Circumcision," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 6(2), pages 152-177, April.
    2. Nicole Angotti & Margaret Frye & Amy Kaler & Michelle Poulin & Susan Cotts Watkins & Sara Yeatman, 2014. "Popular Moralities and Institutional Rationalities in Malawi's Struggle Against AIDS," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 40(3), pages 447-473, September.
    3. Gil Shapira, 2017. "How Subjective Beliefs about HIV Infection Affect Life-Cycle Fertility: Evidence from Rural Malawi," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 52(3), pages 680-718.
    4. Baranov, Victoria & Bennett, Daniel & Kohler, Hans-Peter, 2015. "The indirect impact of antiretroviral therapy: Mortality risk, mental health, and HIV-negative labor supply," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 195-211.
    5. Wilson, Nicholas, 2016. "Antiretroviral therapy and demand for HIV testing: Evidence from Zambia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 221-240.
    6. Ruben Castro & Jere Behrman & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2015. "Perception of HIV risk and the quantity and quality of children: the case of rural Malawi," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 28(1), pages 113-132, January.
    7. Hans-Peter Kohler & Rebecca L. Thornton, 2012. "Conditional Cash Transfers and HIV/AIDS Prevention: Unconditionally Promising?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 26(2), pages 165-190.
    8. Ning Hsieh, 2013. "Perceived risk of HIV infection and mental health in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 28(13), pages 373-408.
    9. Margaret Frye & Sophia Chae, 2017. "Physical attractiveness and women’s HIV risk in rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 37(10), pages 251-294.
    10. Jethro Banda & Albert Dube & Sarah Brumfield & Abena Amoah & Amelia Crampin & Georges Reniers & Stephane Helleringer, 2021. "Knowledge, risk perceptions, and behaviors related to the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 44(20), pages 459-480.
    11. Godlonton, Susan & Thornton, Rebecca, 2012. "Peer effects in learning HIV results," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 118-129.
    12. Aureo de Paula & Gil Shapira & Petra E. Todd, 2008. "How Beliefs about HIV Status Affect Risky Behaviors: Evidence from Malawi, Fifth Version," PIER Working Paper Archive 10-023, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania, revised 10 Jul 2010.
    13. Daniela Iorio & Raül Santaeulàlia-Llopis, 2011. "Education, HIV Status, and Risky Sexual Behavior: How Much Does the Stage of the HIV Epidemic Matter?," Working Papers 624, Barcelona School of Economics.
    14. Adeline Delavande & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2009. "Subjective expectations in the context of HIV/AIDS in Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 20(31), pages 817-875.
    15. Philip Anglewicz, 2012. "Migration, Marital Change, and HIV Infection in Malawi," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 49(1), pages 239-265, February.
    16. Susan Godlonton & Rebecca L. Thornton, 2013. "Learning from Others' HIV Testing: Updating Beliefs and Responding to Risk," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(3), pages 439-444, May.
    17. 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.
    18. Kim, Jinho, 2016. "The effect of peers on HIV infection expectations among Malawian adolescents: Using an instrumental variables/school fixed effect approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 61-69.
    19. Anglewicz, Philip & Clark, Shelley, 2013. "The effect of marriage and HIV risks on condom use acceptability in rural Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 29-40.
    20. Rebecca L. Thornton & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2017. "Making marriages last: Trust is good, but credible information is better," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-173, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    21. Kaler, Amy & Angotti, Nicole & Ramaiya, Astha, 2016. "“They are looking just the same”: Antiretroviral treatment as social danger in rural Malawi," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 71-78.
    22. Cordero Coma, Julia, 2014. "HIV prevention and marriage: Peer group effects on condom use acceptability in rural Kenya," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 169-177.
    23. Rebecca L. Thornton & Hans-Peter Kohler, 2017. "Making marriages last: trust is good, but credible information is better," WIDER Working Paper Series 173, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    24. Iliana Kohler & Hans-Peter Kohler & Phil Anglewicz & Jere Behrman, 2012. "Intergenerational Transfers in the Era of HIV/AIDS: Evidence from Rural Malawi," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 27(27), pages 775-834.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sub-Saharan Africa; perceived risk; HIV/AIDS;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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