title: The association between remarriage and HIV infection in 13 sub-Saharan African countries.
abstract: Separated, divorced, and widowed individuals in Africa are at significantly increased risk for HIV infection. Using nationally representative data from 13 sub-Saharan African countries, this study confirms that finding and goes further by examining those who have experienced a marital dissolution and are now remarried. Results show that remarried individuals form a large portion of the population and have a higher-than-average HIV prevalence. HIV-positive remarried individuals are at risk of transmitting the infection to their spouse, because many of the couples are serodiscordant. The large number of high-risk remarried individuals is a source of vulnerability and further infection, and should be acknowledged and taken into account by prevention strategies that rarely address this population.
authors.affiliation: Development Research Group, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA. ddewalque@worldbank.org
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Walque
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kline
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk