title: Marital Aspirations, Sexual Behaviors, and HIV/AIDS in Rural Malawi.
abstract: We explore how marital aspirations are related to the sexual behaviors of adolescents and young adults in Malawi, where HIV/AIDS prevalence among adults exceeds 10%. We also consider whether the specter of AIDS is shaping ideals about marriage. By combining survey data (N = 1,087) and in-depth interviews (N = 133) with young Malawians from the Malawi Diffusion and Ideational Change Project, we show that looking for and finding a suitable spouse are linked to sexual behaviors and, thus, HIV risks. Moreover, concerns about contracting HIV are closely tied to the ideal characteristics of a future spouse. Our findings draw long-overdue attention to the importance of marital aspirations in understanding adolescent sexual behaviors and risks in the era of AIDS.
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Stephen Leacock Building, Room 713, 855 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2T7 ( shelley.clark@mcgill.ca ).
authors.forename: Shelley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Poulin
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kohler