Socio-economic Factors and HIV/AIDS Incidence

Socio-economic Factors and HIV/AIDS Incidence

Wilkinson and Marmot (2003) argue that “Life expectancy is shorter, and most diseases are more common further down the social ladder in each society” (p. 10). This argument could be ascertained by a closer look at the issue against the backdrop of HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world. According to the statistics given earlier, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Europe and some parts of Asia are leading in HIV/AIDS prevalence in the world.

Analyzing these regions leaves them with one common characteristic. Most of them are not developed countries. This means that the social characteristics of a region could play a great role in the health of the community. Kenya is one of the countries that make up the Sub-Saharan region which has accounted for the highest percentage of people living and dying from HIV/AIDS. In this country, the Gross National Income per capita was 1,400 according to the World Bank as quoted by the WHO. In addition, the country has a per capita total health expenditure of 95. Kenya has a Human Development (HDI) ranking of 148 and a Human Poverty Index (HPI) of 60.

With such characteristics, we find that Kenya can be ranked among countries low on the social ladder when measured on the global platform. This could be one reason why Kenya accounts for a high HIV/AIDS prevalence.

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In their argument, Wilkinson and Marmot point out that the characteristics of these low-class societies which include inadequate assets for the family, poor or lack of education during adolescence, having insecure employment, doing a hazardous job, housing conditions that are poor and struggling to raise a family in difficult conditions are among the disadvantages that lead to poor health for low-income societies. How does this apply to the case of HIV/AIDS in Kenya?

The named disadvantages are among the core causes of the spread of this virus (Ministry of Health, Kenya 2005). In addition, Inungu and Karl (2006), in their contribution to the subject of factors leading to the spread of HIV/AIDS argue that poverty plays an integral part in a society’s rate of HIV/AIDS prevalence. According to them, the relationship between HIV/AIDS and poverty is bidirectional. Poverty contributes greatly to the transmission of the virus while at the same time the virus contributes greatly to the creation of poverty and hence a further promotion of transmission.

Other social factors that have led to the increasing transmission of this virus are society’s cultural beliefs and practices. Moses et al (1990), Inungu and Karl (2006) and Bongaarts and colleagues (1989) further show that HIV/AIDS transmission rate is faster in regions where certain cultural beliefs and practices like the position and role of women or traditional initiation practices. As pointed out in the statistics above, it is clear that women are the most affected by this virus as compared to men. This is attributed to their roles in reproduction. This subjects them too difficult conditions of taking care of their families.

Consequently, they are forced to have multiple sexual partners who in return give them financial support. In Kenya, for instance, women in urban areas are forced to work as commercial sex workers or bar hostesses. These expose them to high risks of HIV/AIDS virus contraction. According to the research carried out by Morrison and coworkers as quoted by Inungu and Karl 75% of sex workers in Kisumu, the third-largest town in Kenya, were living with the virus by the year 2006.

World Health Organization (2009) and the European Commission (2009) identify housing as one of the health determinants. The different dimensions of housing pose great threats to the health of an individual. Among the dimensions of the housing are the quality of houses, increase in rent, housing tenure, homelessness, housing design and indoor air qualities are among the different dimensions which have a role in the health of an individual or the society.

What therefore is the role of this in the increase of the spread of HIV/AIDS in society? As mentioned earlier, many women find it difficult to produce rent for affordable estates and villages. In Kenya for instance, many women who crowd the city of Nairobi find housing cheaper in slums like Kibera which is the second-largest slum in Africa. Poor housing design and overcrowding have led to a substantial number of people living with viruses. In Kibera, one-fifth of the 2.2 million people living in this slum are HIV positive (Fountain of hope 2009).

GDFCC (2003) clearly outlines the relationship between shelter and HIV/AIDS prevalence. They purport that poor housing plans and design can greatly increase the risks