Women and Health
Volume 56, Issue 7, 2016, Pages 745-766

Vulnerability of wives of Nepalese labor migrants to HIV infection: Integrating quantitative and qualitative evidence (Article)

Thapa S.* , Bista N. , Hannes K. , Buve A. , Vermandere M. , Mathei C.
  • a Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
  • b Department of Public Health, Nobel College Pokhara University, Kathmandu, Nepal, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
  • c Centre for Sociology Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
  • d Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium
  • e Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
  • f Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Abstract

HIV risk is determined by the interaction between social and individual risk factors, but information about such factors among Nepalese women is not yet understood. Therefore, to assess the risk factors and vulnerability of the wives of Nepalese labor migrants to HIV infection, the authors conducted a mixed-methods study in which a descriptive qualitative study was embedded within a case-control study. Two hundred twenty-four wives of labor migrants were interviewed in the case-control study, and two focus group discussions (n = 8 and 9) were conducted in the qualitative study. The authors found that illiteracy, low socio-economic status, and gender inequality contributed to poor knowledge and poor sexual negotiation among the wives of labor migrants and increased their risk of HIV through unprotected sex. Among male labor migrants, illiteracy, low socio-economic status, migration to India before marriage, and alcohol consumption contributed to liaisons with female sex workers, increasing the risk of HIV to the men and their wives through unprotected sex. Both labor migrants and their wives feared disclosure of positive HIV status due to HIV stigma and thus were less likely to be tested for HIV. HIV prevention programs should consider the interaction among these risk factors when targeting labor migrants and their wives. © 2016 Taylor & Francis.

Author Keywords

wives of labor migrants HIV infection mixed-methods study Nepal Social epidemiology Risk factor Vulnerability

Index Keywords

information processing HIV Infections sexual behavior Spouses human middle aged statistics and numerical data sex worker qualitative research Unsafe Sex interview marriage Surveys and Questionnaires Humans psychology Interviews as Topic male female Socioeconomic Factors spouse risk factor Risk Factors socioeconomics questionnaire Social Stigma high risk behavior Risk-Taking adult migration Sex Workers Transients and Migrants Nepal Focus Groups
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84958059816&doi=10.1080%2f03630242.2015.1118726&partnerID=40&md5=7b4f602cfe322e516ca95e480fd49df4
DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2015.1118726
ISSN: 03630242
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English