Food Insecurity and Sexual Risk in an HIV Endemic Community in Uganda
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Date
2011
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AIDS and Behavior
Abstract
Food insecurity has been linked to high-risk
sexual behavior in sub-Saharan Africa, but there are limited
data on these links among people living with HIV/AIDS,
and on the mechanisms for how food insecurity predisposes
individuals to risky sexual practices. We undertook a series
of in-depth open-ended interviews with 41 individuals
living with HIV/AIDS to understand the impact of food
insecurity on sexual-risk behaviors. Participants were
recruited from the Immune Suppression Clinic at the
Mbarara University of Science and Technology in Mbarara,
Uganda. Interviews were recorded, transcribed
verbatim, translated, and coded following the strategy of
grounded theory. Four major themes emerged from the
interview data: the relationship between food insecurity
and transactional sex for women; the impact of a husband’s
death from HIV on worsening food insecurity among
women and children; the impact of food insecurity on
control over condom use, and the relationship between
food insecurity and staying in violent/abusive relationships.
Food insecurity led to increased sexual vulnerability
among women. Women were often compelled to engage in
transactional sex or remain in violent or abusive relationships
due to their reliance on men in their communities to
provide food for themselves and their children. There is an
urgent need to prioritize food security programs for women
living with HIV/AIDS and address broader gender-based
inequities that are propelling women to engage in risky
sexual behaviors based on hunger. Such interventions will
play an important role in improving the health and well being
of people living with HIV/AIDS, and preventing
HIV transmission
Description
Keywords
Food insecurity, HIV/AIDS, Uganda, Sexual-risk behavior, Gender, Transactional sex, Violence
Citation
Miller, C. L., Bangsberg, D. R., Tuller, D. M., Senkungu, J., Kawuma, A., Frongillo, E. A., & Weiser, S. D. (2011). Food insecurity and sexual risk in an HIV endemic community in Uganda. AIDS and Behavior, 15(7), 1512-1519. DOI 10.1007/s10461-010-9693-0