title: Poverty, food insufficiency and HIV infection and sexual behaviour among young rural Zimbabwean women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite a recent decline, Zimbabwe still has the fifth highest adult HIV prevalence in the world at 14.7%; 56% of the population are currently living in extreme poverty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional population-based survey of 18-22 year olds, conducted in 30 communities in south-eastern Zimbabwe in 2007.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether the risk of HIV infection among young rural Zimbabwean women is associated with socio-economic position and whether different socio-economic domains, including food sufficiency, might be associated with HIV risk in different ways.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible participants completed a structured questionnaire and provided a finger-prick blood sample tested for antibodies to HIV and HSV-2. The relationship between poverty and HIV was explored for three socio-economic domains: ability to afford essential items; asset wealth; food sufficiency. Analyses were performed to examine whether these domains were associated with HIV infection or risk factors for infection among young women, and to explore which factors might mediate the relationship between poverty and HIV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  2593 eligible females participated in the survey and were included in the analyses. Overall HIV prevalence among these young females was 7.7% (95% CI: 6.7-8.7); HSV-2 prevalence was 11.2% (95% CI: 9.9-12.4). Lower socio-economic position was associated with lower educational attainment, earlier marriage, increased risk of depression and anxiety disorders and increased reporting of higher risk sexual behaviours such as earlier sexual debut, more and older sexual partners and transactional sex. Young women reporting insufficient food were at increased risk of HIV infection and HSV-2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides evidence from Zimbabwe that among young poor women, economic need and food insufficiency are associated with the adoption of unsafe behaviours. Targeted structural interventions that aim to tackle social and economic constraints including insufficient food should be developed and evaluated alongside behaviour and biomedical interventions, as a component of HIV prevention programming and policy.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sophie J S
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pascoe
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sexual Health & HIV Research, Royal Free & University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lisa F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Langhaug
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Webster
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mavhu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Shabbar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaffar
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Epidemiology & Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sexual Health & HIV Research, Royal Free & University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom; Centre for Sexual Health and HIV AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: Frances M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Cowan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult; D015030:Zimbabwe / Q000453:epidemiology