Ties that bind and nets of support: The social networks and sexual behavior of migrant women in Sene...

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" Ties that bind and nets of support: The social networks and sexual behavior of migrant women in Senegal and implications for the spread of HIV "
Kristen A. Velyvis A. Palloni

Document Type	:	Latin Dissertation
Language of Document	:	English
Record Number	:	55404
Doc. No	:	TL25358
Call number	:	‭3327736‬
Main Entry	:	Kristen A. Velyvis
Title & Author	:	Ties that bind and nets of support: The social networks and sexual behavior of migrant women in Senegal and implications for the spread of HIV\ Kristen A. Velyvis
College	:	The University of Wisconsin - Madison
Date	:	2008
Degree	:	Ph.D.
student score	:	2008
Page No	:	339
Abstract	:	The HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa is the largest in the world, based on both the cumulative number of AIDS cases and the current number of HIV infections, but there is enormous variation in its spread. Differences in sexual behavior patterns is one possible explanation for this variation. This dissertation seeks to identify mechanisms by which social conditions affect sexual behavior, and thus perhaps the spread of HIV. More specifically, I examine the social networks of migrant Serere and Diola women in Dakar, Senegal and identify how their social networks affect their sexual behavior. Serere and Diola women were chosen for this study because they are known to be exposed to conditions that enhance higher-risk sexual behavior; that is, they migrate to urban areas in search of work, independently of men; most are economically vulnerable; and many work in marketplaces. However, in general, their sexual behavior is not as high-risk as that of other groups of women in Africa with similar risk factors. I spent 13 months in Dakar collecting both quantitative and qualitative data among these women. With more than 1000 randomly sampled survey respondents, I was able to use logit and ordinary least squares regression models to identify determinants of social support and social control networks that affect sexual behavior. These are protective characteristics, helping to reduce sexual risk-taking among women who would otherwise be predicted to have higher-risk behavior. Using 23 focus groups and more than 340 individual interviews, I identified mechanisms of social support and social control that allow these protective characteristics to work. I found that larger social support networks protect women from higher-risk sexual behavior. Social support is a prevalent feature in the lives of these women and its availability significantly decreases their chances of exchanging sex for economic resources. Social control is also prevalent and constrains the sexual behavior of these women, protecting them from engaging in desired higher-risk sexual behavior. This research shows that social context does provide protection against sexual risk-taking and could add to efforts to combat the spread of HIV.
Subject	:	Health and environmental sciences; Social sciences; Diola; HIV; Migrant; Senegal; Serere; Sexual behavior; Social control; Social networks; Social support; West Africa; Women migrants; Womens studies; Epidemiology; Demography; 0938:Demography; 0453:Womens studies; 0766:Epidemiology
Added Entry	:	A. Palloni
Added Entry	:	The University of Wisconsin - Madison