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  4. May 2017
  5. The Role of Marriage in Fighting HIV: A Quantitative Illustration for Malawi

The Role of Marriage in Fighting HIV: A Quantitative Illustration for Malawi

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Abstract

How might policies that promote marriage and/or dissuade divorce help in the fight against HIV/AIDS? This question is addressed employing a choice-theoretic general equilibrium search model, using Malawi as a case study. In the framework developed, individuals can choose between married and single life. A single person can select among abstinence and sex with or without a condom. The results suggest that marriage-friendly policies can help to abate HIV/AIDS. The policy predictions that obtain from general equilibrium analysis are compared with those that arise from simulated synthetic field experiments and epidemiological studies.

Citation

Greenwood, Jeremy, Philipp Kircher, Cezar Santos, and Michèle Tertilt. 2017. "The Role of Marriage in Fighting HIV: A Quantitative Illustration for Malawi." American Economic Review, 107 (5): 158-62. DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20171056

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • I12 Health Behavior
  • I18 Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
  • J12 Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure; Domestic Abuse
  • J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
  • O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration