Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;...
Cash payments help cut HIV infection rate in young women
Between a quarter and a third of young women and girls in sub-Sarahran Africa contract HIV by the time they reach their early 20’s.
Educating the girls about the risks and promoting the use of safe sex has had very little impact in countries where they struggle with poor education and poverty. Older men in these areas offer these girls a way out of their financial difficulties.
A team of researchers from World Bank in the US carried out a randomised controlled trial in Malawi, which involved providing these young women with small cash payments to find out whether monthly payment to schoolgirls and their families would help change the girls' behaviour and safeguard their health. It showed that in many of these cases these girls were more likely to resist the attentions of older men and subsequently avoid HIV infections.
They trialled it on nearly 1,300 young women, aged from 13 to 22, who were enrolled in school in the Zomba district of southern Malawi – an area of poverty, low school enrolment and high HIV prevalence.
The young women randomly received between $1 and $5 a month, some families were given between $4 and $10 a month and others were given nothing. At the end of 18 months, the girls were tested for HIV and herpes infection.
Girls who had received the money were less than half as likely to have HIV as those who had not been paid.
While the numbers who contracted HIV were quite small, the researchers trust it shows a significant trend and would make a substantial difference across the population. There was also a reduction of three-quarters in the risk of herpes, another sexually-transmitted infection.
Half of those who were given money would receive it only if they attended school, but there was no difference in the infection rate between those and the others who were paid regardless. Nor did the amount they and their families received make a difference.
Condom use did not go up, but the girls were less likely to be having sex frequently and less likely to have a partner over the age of 25.
"The findings suggest that financially empowering school-age girls and their families can have substantial effects on their sexual and reproductive health," write the authors.
The cost is between $5000-$12,500 (£3,167-£7,918), so is fairly expensive to pay these young women to stay healthy. However, it is still probably cost-effective and cheaper than putting people on antiretroviral drugs, which has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection.
Charities are continually fighting to help prevent disease and help those affected by poverty and forced marriage.
Huge vaccination programme turbo-charged by Microsoft founder, Bill Gates
Around the turn of the century, the World Health Organisation estimated that some 10 million children in developing countries died before their 5th birthday, mostly from vaccine preventable diseases.
Cornwall Farm Holidays: A Blend of Coastal Charm and Rural Bliss
Cornwall's farm holidays offer a unique blend of seaside fun and rural life, making it an ideal getaway for families. These vacations combine the excitement of the coast with the tranquility of the countryside, providing a rich, hands-on experience that is both educational and enjoyable.
London Chartered Accountants see slow but steady recovery
In years gone by, chartered London accountants, professional economists and company finance directors whose job it was to advise businesses on future economic developments and strategies all had a pretty cushy time of it.
