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The Heterogeneous Effects of HIV Testing

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah Baird

    (Department of Economics, University of Otago, New Zealand)

  • Erick Gong

    (Department of Economics, Middlebury College)

  • Craig McIntosh

    (School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, UC San Diego)

  • Berk Ozler

    (Department of Economics, University of Otago, New Zealand)

Abstract

An extensive multi-disciplinary literature examines the effects of learning one’s HIV status on subsequent risky sexual behaviors. However, many of these studies rely on nonexperimental designs; use self-reported outcome measures, or both. In this study, we investigate the effects of a randomly assigned Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) intervention on risky sexual behaviors and schooling investments among school-age females in Malawi. We find no overall effects on HIV, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-2), or test scores at follow-up. However, receiving a HIV-positive test result causes a large increase in the probability of contracting HSV-2, with stronger effects among those surprised by the HIV-positive test results. Similarly, those surprised by HIV-negative test results see a significant improvement in achievement test scores, consistent with increased returns to investments in human capital. We view the finding on increased HSV-2 prevalence among HIV-positive individuals as a caution to the conventional wisdom that those who learn they are HIV-positive will adopt safer sexual practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah Baird & Erick Gong & Craig McIntosh & Berk Ozler, 2013. "The Heterogeneous Effects of HIV Testing," Working Papers 1310, University of Otago, Department of Economics, revised Jul 2013.
    • Handle: RePEc:otg:wpaper:1310
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    File URL: http://www.otago.ac.nz/economics/research/otago076645pdf.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Derksen, Laura & Muula, Adamson & van Oosterhout, Joep, 2022. "Love in the time of HIV: How beliefs about externalities impact health behavior," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    2. Matteo M. Galizzi & Krystal W. Lau & Marisa Miraldo & Katharina Hauck, 2022. "Bandwagoning, free‐riding and heterogeneity in influenza vaccine decisions: An online experiment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 614-646, April.
    3. Manuela Angelucci & Daniel Bennett, 2021. "Adverse Selection in the Marriage Market: HIV Testing and Marriage in Rural Malawi [Marrying Up: The Role of Sex Ratio in Assortative Matching]," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 88(5), pages 2119-2148.
    4. Lucia Corno & Áureo de Paula, 2019. "Risky Sexual Behaviours: Biological Markers and Self‐reported Data," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 86(342), pages 229-261, April.
    5. Brendan Maughan-Brown & Neil D. Lloyd & Jacob Bor & Atheendar S. Venkataramani, 2015. "Increasing access to HIV testing: Impacts on equity of coverage and uptake from a national campaign in South Africa," SALDRU Working Papers 145, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    6. Wilson, Nicholas, 2016. "Antiretroviral therapy and demand for HIV testing: Evidence from Zambia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 221-240.
    7. Andrew Dillon & Jed Friedman & Pieter Serneels, 2014. "Health information, treatment, and worker productivity: Experimental evidence from malaria testing and treatment among Nigerian sugarcane cutters," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Science (CBESS) 14-05, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    8. Li Han & Xinzheng Shi & Ming-ang Zhang, 2022. "How Does Matching Uncertainty Affect Marital Surplus? Theory and Evidence from China," HKUST CEP Working Papers Series 202202, HKUST Center for Economic Policy.
    9. Patrick Aylward & Hildah Essendi & Kristen Little & Nicholas Wilson, 2020. "Demand for self‐tests: Evidence from a Becker–DeGroot–Marschak mechanism field experiment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 489-507, April.
    10. Cassidy, Rachel & Groot Bruinderink, Marije & Janssens, Wendy & Morsink, Karlijn, 2021. "The power to protect: Household bargaining and female condom use," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    11. Adnan M. S. Fakir & Tushar Bharati, 2021. "Healthy, nudged, and wise: Experimental evidence on the role of cost reminders in healthy decision-making," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 21-13, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    12. Akogun, Oladele & Dillon, Andrew & Friedman, Jed & Prasann, Ashesh & Serneels, Pieter, 2017. "Productivity and Health: Alternative Productivity Measures using Physical Activity," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258380, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. 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.
    14. Laura Derksen & Adamson Muula & Joep van Oosterhout, 2016. "Love in the Time of HIV: Testing as a Signal of Risk," Natural Field Experiments 00550, The Field Experiments Website.
    15. Kristensen, Frederikke Frehr & Sharp, Paul, 2021. "Disease Surveillance, Mortality and Race: The Case of HIV/AIDS in the United States," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 553, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    16. Victor Orozco-Olvera & Fuyuan Shen & Lucie Cluver, 2019. "The effectiveness of using entertainment education narratives to promote safer sexual behaviors of youth: A meta-analysis, 1985-2017," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-14, February.
    17. Rink, Anselm & Wong-Grünwald, Ramona, 2017. "How effective are HIV behaviour change interventions? Experimental evidence from Zimbabwe," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 9(3), pages 361-388.
    18. Adnan M. S. Fakir & Tushar Bharati, 2022. "Healthy, nudged, and wise: Experimental evidence on the role of information salience in reducing tobacco intake," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(6), pages 1129-1166, June.
    19. Terris-Prestholt, Fern & Windmeijer, Frank, 2016. "How to sell a condom? The impact of demand creation tools on male and female condom sales in resource limited settings," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 107-120.
    20. Akogun, Oladele & Dillon, Andrew & Friedman, Jed & Prasann, Ashesh & Serneels, Pieter, 2017. "Productivity and Health: Alternative Productivity Estimates Using Physical Activity," IZA Discussion Papers 11115, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    21. Wilson, Nicholas, 2018. "Altruism in preventive health behavior: At-scale evidence from the HIV/AIDS pandemic," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 119-129.
    22. Anselm Rink & Ramona Wong-Grünwald, 2017. "How effective are HIV behaviour change interventions? Experimental evidence from Zimbabwe," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 361-388, July.
    23. Hyuncheol Bryant Kim & Beliyou Haile & Taewha Lee, 2017. "Promotion and Persistence of HIV Testing and HIV/AIDS Knowledge: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial in Ethiopia," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(11), pages 1394-1411, November.
    24. David Mmopelwa & Oliver Morrissey & Trudy Owens, 2021. "HIV/AIDS and sexual behaviour in Botswana," Discussion Papers 2021-03, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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