Mines, Migration and HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa
Swaziland and Lesotho have the highest HIV prevalence in the world. They also share another distinct feature: during the last century, they sent a large numbers of migrant workers to South African mines. This paper examines whether participation in...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2012
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000158349_20120213084729 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3251 |
| Summary: | Swaziland and Lesotho have the highest
HIV prevalence in the world. They also share another
distinct feature: during the last century, they sent a large
numbers of migrant workers to South African mines. This
paper examines whether participation in mining in a
bordering country affects HIV infection rate. A job in the
mines means leaving for long periods away from their
families and living in an area with an active sex industry.
This creates potential incentives for multiple, concurrent
partnerships. Using Demographic and Health Surveys, the
analysis shows that migrant miners ages 30-44 are 15
percentage points more likely to be HIV positive, and women
whose partner is a migrant miner are 8 percentage points
more likely to become infected. The study also shows that
miners are less likely to abstain or use condoms, and female
partners of miners are more likely to engage in extramarital
sex. The authors interpret these results as suggesting that
miners' migration into South Africa has increased the
spread of HIV/AIDS in their countries of origin. Consistent
with this interpretation, the association between HIV
infection and being a miner or a miner's wife are not
statistically significant in Zimbabwe, a country where the
mining industry is local and does not involve migrating to
South Africa. |
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