RESPONDING TO RISK: CIRCUMCISION, INFORMATION, AND HIV PREVENTION

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Godlonton, Susan; Munthali, Alister; Thornton, Rebecca
• 署名单位: Williams College; University of Malawi; University of Illinois System; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0034-6535
• DOI: 10.1162/REST_a_00516
• 发表日期: 2016-05
• 页码: 333-349
• 关键词: randomized controlled-trial; sexual-behavior change; antiretroviral therapy; protective equipment; online persuasion; rural malawi; hpv vaccine; condom use; COMPENSATION; kenya

摘要

Understanding behavioral responses to changes in actual or perceived risk is important because risk-reduction goals can be undermined by risk-compensating behavior. This paper examines the response to new information about the risk of HIV infection. Approximately 1,200 circumcised and uncircumcised men in rural Malawi are randomly informed that male circumcision reduces the HIV transmission rate, predicting asymmetric behavioral responses. We find no evidence that the information induces circumcised men to engage in riskier sex while uncircumcised men practice safer sex in response to the information. There were no significant effects of the information on child circumcisions after one year.