Livelihood and the risk of HIV/AIDS infection in Ghana: the case of female itinerant traders

Itinerant trading is the second major economic activity for women who constitute an important chain in the distribution of goods in West Africa. Historically they have played important roles in the political economy of Ghana. With the outbreak of AIDS these women, some of whom move far away from hom...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health transition review : the cultural, social, and behavioural determinants of health social, and behavioural determinants of health, 1997-01, Vol.7 (Supp.), p.225-242
Main Authors: Anarfi, John K., Appiah, Ernest N., Awusabo-Asare, Kofi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
AIDS
AIDS/HIV
Business
Child rearing
Children
Commerce
Diseases
Economic activity
Education
Emigration and Immigration
Female
Ghana
Ghana - epidemiology
Health technology assessment
HIV
HIV Infections - epidemiology
HIV Infections - prevention & control
HIV transmission, AIDS care and management/Ghana
Hotels
Humans
Male
Men
Middle Aged
Risk Factors
Sexual Behavior
Sexually transmitted diseases
Socioeconomic Factors
Transportation costs
Trucks
Women
Yams
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Itinerant trading is the second major economic activity for women who constitute an important chain in the distribution of goods in West Africa. Historically they have played important roles in the political economy of Ghana. With the outbreak of AIDS these women, some of whom move far away from home sometimes for days or even weeks, stand the risk of being infected with HIV through their activities. Using a combination of methods including a survey, focusgroup discussions and conversations with key informants, we examine how the trade is organized, the characteristics of the traders, and the risk factors that are likely to predispose them to contracting the AIDS virus. Itinerant women traders appear highly vulnerable, as women and as highly mobile people. This state of affairs, occasioned by the extremely difficult conditions in which the women work, is exploited for the sexual gratification of the men with whom they come into contact. The attempt to reduce the spread of AIDs through education has to target itinerant women traders at the points of transaction.
ISSN:1036-4005