Does integrating AIDS treatment with food assistance affect labor supply? Evidence from Zambia

The Impact of Formal and Informal Institutions on ART Drug Adherence

A successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) drug adherence is achieved when patients follow their prescribed regimen. This is determined by patient's motivation that is influenced by resources associated with the patient, society, and relevant institutions. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of formal and informal actors on patients' ART drug adherence. A qualitative study approach was conducted through face-to-face in-depth interviews of HIV-infected patients and key informants. The analysis was guided by a salutogenic model focusing on generalized resistance resources and a sense of coherence. The finding shows that 76% of the study participants achieved the recommended 95% adherence level. Several resources attributed to individuals, society, and public institutions influencing patients' day-to-day life and their drug adherence were identified. Patients who are able to use the available resources easily develop sense of coherence and follow their prescribed drug regimen. Therefore, encouraging HIV-infected patients through formal and informal actors can enhance ART drug adherence.

Altruism in preventive health behavior: At-scale evidence from the HIV/AIDS pandemic

Preventive behavior with regards to disease transmission offers a promising context in which to provide empirical evidence on altruism in human populations. I examine the association between HIV status, own knowledge about status, and preventive health behavior using household survey data from over 200,000 individuals in 25 sub-Saharan African countries. I find that individuals who are HIV positive and have taken a standard HIV test are much more likely to engage in efforts to prevent HIV transmission than are individuals who are HIV negative and have taken a standard HIV test. Moreover, this difference is greater than the difference between HIV positives and HIV negatives for individuals who have not taken a standard HIV test. Consistent with an altruistic motivation, this double-difference is larger for individuals who are married than for individuals who are not married. These results appear to be the first evidence on the change in risky sexual behavior associated with HIV testing at scale and are consistent with altruism dominating any self-interested response to HIV testing.