title: Do the factors associated with female HIV infection vary by socioeconomic status in Cameroon?
abstract: One of the most consistent findings in social epidemiology is an inverse relationship between indicators of SES and most types of illness. However, a growing body of research on HIV in sub-Saharan Africa suggests an intriguing reversal of this pattern, particularly with respect to HIV among women. In Cameroon, specifically, high-SES women have higher rates of HIV infection compared with low-SES women. Using data from the 2004 Cameroon DHS, this study explored the relationships between SES and HIV and tested a multivariate model designed to highlight the distinctive factors associated with increased risk of HIV among women in different SES classes. The results revealed that high-SES women who reported engaging in riskier sexual behaviour had the highest levels of HIV infection. Surprisingly, among this group increased knowledge of HIV, more domestic decision-making authority and access to health care did not reduce vulnerability. Meanwhile, among low-SES women relative gender inequality was significantly related to HIV risk. Specifically, among this group of women, having a partner with higher education was strongly associated with greater HIV risk. The results suggest that different approaches targeting each sub-group are needed to effectively combat the disease.
authors.affiliation: *African Population and Health Research Centre,Nairobi,Kenya.
authors.forename: Joyce N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Mumah
authors.affiliation: †Utah State University,Logan, Utah,USA.
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson-Smith
mesh_terms: D002163:Cameroon; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012923:Social Class