Mortality Risk Information, Survival Expectations and Sexual Behaviors
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Population Center Working Papers (PSC/PARC)
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subjective mortality expectations
HIV/AIDS
sexual behavior
lifecycle decision-making
Diseases
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Family, Life Course, and Society
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Sociology
HIV/AIDS
sexual behavior
lifecycle decision-making
Diseases
Experimental Analysis of Behavior
Family, Life Course, and Society
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Sociology
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Abstract
Individuals in low-income settings are often overly pessimistic about their own survival, suggesting that better knowledge about survival risks might encourage investments in health. This paper provides evidence from a randomized experiment that provided mature adults aged 45+ in Malawi with information about mortality risks. Treated individuals are less likely to engage in risky sexual practices one year after the intervention, and they increase other forward-looking behaviors such as investments in agriculture. Expectations of HIV+ people living longer, which makes the pool of potential partners riskier, are a primary driver of reduced sexual risk taking in response to the intervention.
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2020-01-29