Marriage behavior response to prime-age adult mortality: evidence from Malawi.
This article examines the effect of AIDS-related mortality of the prime-age adult population on marriage behavior among women in Malawi. A rise in prime-age adult mortality increases risks associated with the search for a marriage partner in the marriage market. A possible behavioral change in the marriage market in response to an increase in prime-age adult mortality is to marry earlier to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS risks. We test this hypothesis by using micro data from Malawi, where prime-age adult mortality has drastically increased. In the analysis, we estimate the probability of prime-age adult mortality that sample women have observed during their adolescent period by utilizing retrospective information on deaths of their siblings. Empirical analysis shows that excess prime-age adult mortality in the local marriage market lowers the marriage age for females and shortens the interval between the first sex and first marriage.
Japan International Cooperation Agency Research Institute 10-5, Ichigaya Honmura-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8433, Japan. Ueyama.Mika@jica.go.jp
Mika
M
Ueyama
Futoshi
F
Yamauchi
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi / Q000453:epidemiology; D008393:Marriage / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D035781:Siblings; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult