The Changing Sexual Behaviour and Attitudes Regarding Condom Use in the Era Of HIV/AIDS in Rural Malawi: A Longitudinal Assessment

Francis Obare, Population Council
Michelle Poulin, University of Pennsylvania

This paper uses two waves of data collected from rural Malawi to examine changes in sexual partnerships, condom use, and in attitudes toward condom use within marriage over time. It also examines whether mortality conditions have any effect on changes in sexual behaviour and attitudes. Descriptive analyses show significant: (i) reductions in multiple sexual partnerships, (ii) increase in condom use, (iii) changes in attitude toward condom use within marriage mostly favouring use if the individual suspects or knows that the partner is infected with HIV. Fixed-effects analysis shows that the number of funerals attended significantly lowers the probability of having multiple sexual partners and raises the probability of having positive attitudes toward condom use within marriage among individuals from the South, the region with the highest HIV prevalence in Malawi. These results have implications for future trends in HIV prevalence, unintended fertility, and voluntary counselling and testing for HIV.