| Does Education Affect HIV Status? Evidence from five African Countries. |
| Authors: |
de Walque, D. |
| Source: |
World Bank Economic Review, 23(2): 209-233 |
| Topic(s): |
Education
HIV/AIDS
|
| Country: |
Africa
Multiple African Countries
|
| Published: |
NOV 2009 |
| Abstract: |
Data from the first five Demographic and Health Surveys to include HIV testing for a
representative sample of the adult population are used to analyze the socioeconomic correlates
of HIV infection and associated sexual behavior. Emerging from a wealth of country relevant results, some important findings can be generalized. First, successive marriages are a significant risk factor. Second, contrary to prima facie evidence, education is not positively associated with HIV status. However, schooling is one of the mos t consistent predictors of behavior and knowledge: education level predicts protective behaviors such as condom use, use of counseling and testing, discussion of AIDS between spouses, and knowledge about HIV/AIDS, but it also predicts a higher level of infidelity and a lower level of abstinence. |
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