Talking about AIDS

The influence of communication networks on individual risk perceptions of HIV/AIDS infection and favored protective behaviors in South Nyanza District, Kenya

verfasst von

Christoph Bühler, Hans Peter Kohler

Abstract

This paper explores the significance of social relationships to two important stages in the process of sexual behavioral change in response to increased HIV/AIDS risk in rural Africa: the perceived risk of becoming HIV-infected through unprotected sexual intercourse and the preferred methods of protection either through sexual fidelity, or through condom use. The empirical analyses are based on cross-sectional data from the Kenya Diffusion and Ideational Change Project (KDICP) which provides information about AIDS-related, ego-centered communication networks of Kenyan men and women. The results show that perceived risks, as well as preferred methods of protection against HIV-infection, depend in general on the prevailing perceptions and favored protective methods within personal communication networks. However, different influential network properties can be found. The risk-perceptions of women are shaped by strong relationships and cohesive network structures. Male's risk perception depends more on the number of risk-perceivers in their communication networks. Heterogeneous relationships of various kinds are influential on women's and men's probability of favoring sexual faithfulness as a method of protection against HIV-infection.

Externe Organisation(en)

Max-Planck-Institut für demografische Forschung (MPIDR)
University of Pennsylvania

Typ

Artikel

Journal

Demographic Research

Band

9

Seiten

397-438

Anzahl der Seiten

42

ISSN

1435-9871

Publikationsdatum

19.09.2003

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Demographie, Soziologie und Politikwissenschaften

Fachgebiet (basierend auf ÖFOS 2012)

Demographie, Empirische Sozialforschung, Entwicklungsforschung

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 3 – Gute Gesundheit und Wohlergehen

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.4054/demres.2003.s1.13 (Zugang: Offen)