Marital Aspirations,Sexual Behaviors,and HIV/AIDS in Rural Malawi |
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Authors: | Shelley Clark Michelle Poulin Hans‐Peter Kohler |
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Affiliation: | 1. McGill University;2. Brown University *;3. Brown University, 68 Waterman St., Box 1836 Providence, RI 02912.;4. University of Pennsylvania **;5. University of Pennsylvania, 3718 Locust Walk (272 McNeil Bldg), Philadelphia, PA 19104‐6298. |
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Abstract: | We explore how marital aspirations are related to the sexual behaviors of adolescents and young adults in Malawi, where HIV/AIDS prevalence among adults exceeds 10%. We also consider whether the specter of AIDS is shaping ideals about marriage. By combining survey data (N = 1,087) and in‐depth interviews (N = 133) with young Malawians from the Malawi Diffusion and Ideational Change Project, we show that looking for and finding a suitable spouse are linked to sexual behaviors and, thus, HIV risks. Moreover, concerns about contracting HIV are closely tied to the ideal characteristics of a future spouse. Our findings draw long‐overdue attention to the importance of marital aspirations in understanding adolescent sexual behaviors and risks in the era of AIDS. |
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Keywords: | HIV/AIDS marital aspirations sexual behaviors sub‐Saharan Africa |
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