From Intentions to Behavior: How Does HIV Awareness Influence Fertility?
Sarah R. Hayford, Arizona State University
Victor Agadjanian, Arizona State University
At the population level, high prevalence of HIV/AIDS is associated with reduced fertility, largely because of biological proximate determinants. Previous studies have assessed the impact of perceived HIV risk on preferences for childbearing. However, little research has examined how fertility preferences are translated into behavior, and how this process is shaped by concerns about HIV/AIDS. In this paper, we use two waves of survey data, collected three years apart, to assess how fertility intentions and perceived HIV risk interact to influence subsequent fertility behavior. Data come from Mozambique, a country with high HIV prevalence levels, a dynamic social context, and rapidly increasing availability of testing and treatment. Initial results show that worry about HIV is not related to fertility intentions in 2006. Analyses using data collected three years later will assess how intentions are translated into fertility outcomes for women with different levels of concern about HIV.
Presented in Session 110: HIV/AIDS in Contemporary Africa