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The heterogeneous effects of HIV testing

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  • Baird, Sarah
  • Gong, Erick
  • McIntosh, Craig
  • Özler, Berk

Abstract

An extensive multi-disciplinary literature examines the effects of learning one's HIV status on subsequent risky sexual behaviors. However, many of these studies rely on non-experimental designs; use self-reported outcome measures; or both. In this study, we investigate the effects of a randomly assigned home based HIV testing and counseling (HTC) intervention on risky sexual behaviors and schooling investments among school-age females in Malawi. We find no overall effects on HIV, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-2), or achievement test scores at follow-up. However, among the small group of individuals who tested positive for HIV, we find a large increase in the probability of HSV-2 infection, with this effect being stronger among those surprised by their test results. Similarly, those surprised by HIV-negative test results have significantly higher achievement test scores at follow-up, consistent with increased returns to investments in human capital.

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  • Baird, Sarah & Gong, Erick & McIntosh, Craig & Özler, Berk, 2014. "The heterogeneous effects of HIV testing," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 98-112.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:37:y:2014:i:c:p:98-112
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.06.003
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    2. Manuela Angelucci & Daniel Bennett, 2021. "Adverse Selection in the Marriage Market: HIV Testing and Marriage in Rural Malawi [Marrying Up: The Role of Sex Ratio in Assortative Matching]," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 88(5), pages 2119-2148.
    3. Andrew Dillon & Jed Friedman & Pieter Serneels, 2014. "Health information, treatment, and worker productivity: Experimental evidence from malaria testing and treatment among Nigerian sugarcane cutters," Working Paper series, University of East Anglia, Centre for Behavioural and Experimental Social Science (CBESS) 14-05, School of Economics, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK..
    4. Patrick Aylward & Hildah Essendi & Kristen Little & Nicholas Wilson, 2020. "Demand for self‐tests: Evidence from a Becker–DeGroot–Marschak mechanism field experiment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 489-507, April.
    5. Cassidy, Rachel & Groot Bruinderink, Marije & Janssens, Wendy & Morsink, Karlijn, 2021. "The power to protect: Household bargaining and female condom use," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. Adnan M. S. Fakir & Tushar Bharati, 2021. "Healthy, nudged, and wise: Experimental evidence on the role of cost reminders in healthy decision-making," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 21-13, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    7. Akogun, Oladele & Dillon, Andrew & Friedman, Jed & Prasann, Ashesh & Serneels, Pieter, 2017. "Productivity and Health: Alternative Productivity Measures using Physical Activity," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258380, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    8. Baranov, Victoria & Bennett, Daniel & Kohler, Hans-Peter, 2015. "The indirect impact of antiretroviral therapy: Mortality risk, mental health, and HIV-negative labor supply," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 195-211.
    9. Laura Derksen & Adamson Muula & Joep van Oosterhout, 2016. "Love in the Time of HIV: Testing as a Signal of Risk," Natural Field Experiments 00550, The Field Experiments Website.
    10. Kristensen, Frederikke Frehr & Sharp, Paul, 2021. "Disease Surveillance, Mortality and Race: The Case of HIV/AIDS in the United States," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 553, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    11. Akogun, Oladele & Dillon, Andrew & Friedman, Jed & Prasann, Ashesh & Serneels, Pieter, 2017. "Productivity and Health: Alternative Productivity Estimates Using Physical Activity," IZA Discussion Papers 11115, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Wilson, Nicholas, 2018. "Altruism in preventive health behavior: At-scale evidence from the HIV/AIDS pandemic," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 119-129.
    13. Terris-Prestholt, Fern & Windmeijer, Frank, 2016. "How to sell a condom? The impact of demand creation tools on male and female condom sales in resource limited settings," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 107-120.
    14. Hyuncheol Bryant Kim & Beliyou Haile & Taewha Lee, 2017. "Promotion and Persistence of HIV Testing and HIV/AIDS Knowledge: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial in Ethiopia," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(11), pages 1394-1411, November.
    15. Derksen, Laura & Muula, Adamson & van Oosterhout, Joep, 2022. "Love in the time of HIV: How beliefs about externalities impact health behavior," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    16. Lucia Corno & Áureo de Paula, 2019. "Risky Sexual Behaviours: Biological Markers and Self‐reported Data," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 86(342), pages 229-261, April.
    17. Brendan Maughan-Brown & Neil D. Lloyd & Jacob Bor & Atheendar S. Venkataramani, 2015. "Increasing access to HIV testing: Impacts on equity of coverage and uptake from a national campaign in South Africa," SALDRU Working Papers 145, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    18. Wilson, Nicholas, 2016. "Antiretroviral therapy and demand for HIV testing: Evidence from Zambia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 221-240.
    19. Li Han & Xinzheng Shi & Ming-ang Zhang, 2022. "How Does Matching Uncertainty Affect Marital Surplus? Theory and Evidence from China," HKUST CEP Working Papers Series 202202, HKUST Center for Economic Policy.
    20. Victor Orozco-Olvera & Fuyuan Shen & Lucie Cluver, 2019. "The effectiveness of using entertainment education narratives to promote safer sexual behaviors of youth: A meta-analysis, 1985-2017," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-14, February.
    21. Rink, Anselm & Wong-Grünwald, Ramona, 2017. "How effective are HIV behaviour change interventions? Experimental evidence from Zimbabwe," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 9(3), pages 361-388.
    22. Adnan M. S. Fakir & Tushar Bharati, 2022. "Healthy, nudged, and wise: Experimental evidence on the role of information salience in reducing tobacco intake," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(6), pages 1129-1166, June.
    23. Anselm Rink & Ramona Wong-Grünwald, 2017. "How effective are HIV behaviour change interventions? Experimental evidence from Zimbabwe," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 361-388, July.
    24. David Mmopelwa & Oliver Morrissey & Trudy Owens, 2021. "HIV/AIDS and sexual behaviour in Botswana," Discussion Papers 2021-03, University of Nottingham, CREDIT.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    HIV prevention; HTC; Information; Risky sexual behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • I25 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Economic Development

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