Risk of Sexual HIV Transmission Among Wives Left Behind and Wives of Nonmigrant Men in Rural Areas of China

Abstract

In rural areas of China where commercial plasma donation used to be common, little is known about sexual behaviors and condom use among wives left behind by migrating husbands and wives of nonmigrant men. This study investigated sexual behaviors and condom use among married women in rural areas of China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,873 participants recruited by a cluster-sampling method. Study results showed that wives left behind had a significantly lower mean frequency of sexual intercourse with their husbands in the previous month, a higher rate of multiple sexual partners, a higher rate of self-reported HIV infection, and a lower rate of condom use when compared with wives of nonmigrant men. Also, HIV-infected wives left behind who were infected by their husbands had multiple sex partners and did not use condoms consistently. This research provides additional insight that may be used to develop effective HIV prevention strategies in rural areas of China.

Labor Migration and HIV Risk: A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…Sixty-three percent (61 of 97) of the studies collected data on labor migrants while they were away from home and 21 % (20 of 97) upon their return to their place of usual residence. Of the remaining studies, 8 % (6 of 97) studied labor migrants while they were in transit, 4 % (4 of 97) collected data in both sending and receiving places [36–38] and only one study surveyed the wives of migrants left behind at the sending place [39]. Internal migration was more heavily represented among the Western Pacific data (22 of 23; 96 %), reflecting high research interests in the large floating population in China, while studies on external migration predominated in the Americas (21 of 22; 95 %).…”

“…Family separation due to migration also effected wives who were left behind by their husbands. In comparing Chinese wives of migrants to Chinese wives of non-migrant men, migrants’ wives had higher rates of multi-partnering, higher rates of HIV infection and lower rates of condom use [39]. …”

“…One study looked at the wives left behind by internally migrating husbands in comparison to wives of non-migrants in rural China. Wives of migrant men not surprisingly reported less frequent sexual intercourse with their husbands in the last month and also higher rates of multiple sexual partners than wives of nonmigrants [39]. And among China’s migrant population 47 % of surveyed job seekers had sex outside of a monogamous relationship since leaving their place of origin [5].…”

Knowing is Not Enough: Migrant Workers’ Spouses Vulnerability to HIV

“…4 Studies in Africa and Asia demonstrated that female partners of male migrants are also at higher risk of HIV infection. [5][6][7] As of July 2015, 26,702 cases of HIV were reported in Nepal. 8 The total number of HIV infection was estimated to be 39,249 and adult HIV prevalence was 0.2%.…”

The roles of labor migrants' wives in HIV/AIDS risk and prevention in Tajikistan

“…Several studies have shown wives residing in sending countries have higher rates of HIV infection, largely, due to their husbands’ increased sexual risk behaviors (Grawert, 1992; Lurie et al, 2003; Qin et al, 2009; Shah, Khan, Kristensen, & Vermund, 1999; Zuma, Gouws, Williams, & Lurie,2003). The system of gender roles transforming men into labor migrants contributes to wives' vulnerability to HIV/AIDS.…”