USAID: A study of the association of HIV infection with wealth in sub-
Saharan Africa
The relationship between socioeconomic status and health is well
documented. There is ample
evidence that wealthier individuals do better on most measures of
health status including
malnutrition, morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization (Kuate-
Defo 1997; Adler and
Newman 2002; Fotso and Kuate-Defo 2005). Consistent with these
findings, there is evidence of
an inverse relationship between socioeconomic status and risk of
sexually transmitted infections,
such as herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and bacterial
vaginosis (Ellen et al. 1995; Fleming
et al. 1997; Lacey et al. 1997; Holtgrave and Crosby 2003; Kyriakis et
al. 2003; Miller et al.
2003; Wald 2004; Chawla et al. 2004; Uuskula et al. 2004; Bukusi et
al. 2006). Although much of
this evidence is from western countries, it is reasonable to expect
that poverty increases
individual vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in the same manner.
It is indeed often argued that poverty is the root cause of the spread
of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
(Fitzgerald et al. 2000). A recent article in the Lancet argued that
"[s]ince poverty plays a role in
creating an environment in which individuals are particularly
susceptible and vulnerable to
HIV/AIDS, poverty reduction will undoubtedly be at the core of a
sustainable solution to
HIV/AIDS" (Fenton 2004). Analogous views have been expressed in
numerous public statements
and publications, and guide HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in several
countries.
At the global level, there is evidence of a positive correlation
between countries' HIV prevalence
and poverty, as measured by per capita income, income inequality, or
absolute poverty (Bloom et
al. 2001). However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa
represents a notable
exception to this general pattern. On the one hand, at the macro level
African nations with high
HIV prevalence, such as South Africa and Botswana, tend to be the
wealthier countries in the
region (Whiteside 2002; UNAIDS 2006). On the other hand, at the
individual level wealth has
been found to be positively associated with HIV serostatus (Menon et
al. 1998; Kirunga and
Ntozi 1997; Shelton et al. 2005).
More at:
http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/WP31/WP31.pdf
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Saharan Africa
The relationship between socioeconomic status and health is well
documented. There is ample
evidence that wealthier individuals do better on most measures of
health status including
malnutrition, morbidity, mortality, and health care utilization (Kuate-
Defo 1997; Adler and
Newman 2002; Fotso and Kuate-Defo 2005). Consistent with these
findings, there is evidence of
an inverse relationship between socioeconomic status and risk of
sexually transmitted infections,
such as herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and bacterial
vaginosis (Ellen et al. 1995; Fleming
et al. 1997; Lacey et al. 1997; Holtgrave and Crosby 2003; Kyriakis et
al. 2003; Miller et al.
2003; Wald 2004; Chawla et al. 2004; Uuskula et al. 2004; Bukusi et
al. 2006). Although much of
this evidence is from western countries, it is reasonable to expect
that poverty increases
individual vulnerability to HIV/AIDS in the same manner.
It is indeed often argued that poverty is the root cause of the spread
of the HIV/AIDS pandemic
(Fitzgerald et al. 2000). A recent article in the Lancet argued that
"[s]ince poverty plays a role in
creating an environment in which individuals are particularly
susceptible and vulnerable to
HIV/AIDS, poverty reduction will undoubtedly be at the core of a
sustainable solution to
HIV/AIDS" (Fenton 2004). Analogous views have been expressed in
numerous public statements
and publications, and guide HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in several
countries.
At the global level, there is evidence of a positive correlation
between countries' HIV prevalence
and poverty, as measured by per capita income, income inequality, or
absolute poverty (Bloom et
al. 2001). However, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa
represents a notable
exception to this general pattern. On the one hand, at the macro level
African nations with high
HIV prevalence, such as South Africa and Botswana, tend to be the
wealthier countries in the
region (Whiteside 2002; UNAIDS 2006). On the other hand, at the
individual level wealth has
been found to be positively associated with HIV serostatus (Menon et
al. 1998; Kirunga and
Ntozi 1997; Shelton et al. 2005).
More at:
http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/WP31/WP31.pdf
--
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
You received this message because you are subscribed to "Africa Network for Environmental Justice and Sustainability(ANFES)" group.
To post to this group, send email to
environmentalsustainability@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
environmentalsustainability+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/environmentalsustainability
For more information, please visit: http://www.theanfes.org/
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