Reproductive Status, Risk Perception and Coital Behavior

Haijiang Wang, Johns Hopkins University

This study propose a behavior model that identify determinants of coital activity in the context of reproductive behavior and risk perception and assesses the relationships using 9 weekly panel data collected in rural Mangochi District, Malawi between May 2000 and June 2002. Random intercept models are used to examine the effects on the probability of coitus and coitus incidence on that day among all people and people infected with HIV, men and women respectively. Menstrual and lactational status, pregnancy risk and HIV transmission risk perception, and if children aged 0-6 sleeping with you, all measured daily, are found to influence significantly the probability of coitus and coitus incidence on that day. A gender variation of effect pattern is also found. The finding suggests there is a substantial behavioral connection between motivation for HIV avoidance and coital incidence which provides insights for the prevention of HIV infection.