Women in Botswana and Swaziland who suffer from food insufficiency—not having enough to eat—may be more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behavior, according to new research (PLoS Medicine, 10/23).
Researchers found that in both countries, women who reported a lack of food over a 12-month period were almost twice as likely to have sold sex for money and/or have used condoms inconsistently as were women who had enough food. A similar correlation between food insufficiency and sexual behavior was not seen in men.
“The findings strongly suggest that protecting and promoting access to food may decrease vulnerability of women in sub-Saharan Africa to HIV infection,” wrote the researchers.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
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Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
