Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), first identified in 1981, has become a global health crisis, claiming the lives of 40.1 million people to date. By 2022, 39 million individuals were living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and 630,000 succumbed to AIDS-related illnesses.
The most heavily impacted regions include Eastern and Southern Africa, with 20.8 million people living with HIV. Comparatively, the Asia-Pacific region accounts for 6.5 million cases, West and Central Africa 4.8 million, Western and Central Europe and North America 2.3 million, Latin America 2.2 million, and the Middle East and North Africa 190,000. Evidence indicates that poverty is a significant risk factor for HIV, as countries with lower gross national income (GNI) per capita often have lower antiretroviral treatment coverage, leading to higher prevalence rates.
Recent global economic and humanitarian crises have further strained HIV response efforts, especially in low- and middle-income nations. While private healthcare offers alternatives in wealthier nations, affordability remains a challenge in lower-income regions, often exacerbating risky sexual behaviors in economically vulnerable households.
Impact of HIV/AIDS on Nation’s Income
HIV epidemics severely impact national incomes, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Access to antiretroviral medication plays a crucial role in reducing transmission rates and HIV-related deaths. Ghana, for instance, demonstrates that while antiretroviral drugs are free, access to broader healthcare services is often limited due to insurance restrictions and out-of-pocket expenses.
Education also positively impacts individuals living with HIV by improving knowledge, behaviors, social networks, and economic status. School-based sex education has been shown to increase HIV awareness, promote testing, and reduce risky behaviors such as unprotected sex. However, children from HIV-affected families often experience disrupted education, perpetuating a cycle of low educational attainment and higher HIV prevalence.
Safer sex remains a cornerstone of HIV prevention, but factors such as sexual behaviors, number of partners, protection methods, and drug and alcohol use complicate efforts. Substance abuse often leads to riskier sexual behavior and the use of shared needles, further increasing HIV transmission rates. Broader societal factors, including income, housing, demographic characteristics, and education, significantly influence disease prevalence and testing rates.
Insights from the latest Study on HIV/AIDS
Numerous studies have explored the relationship between HIV/AIDS and economic, social, and demographic variables:
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Socioeconomic Factors and Health Outcomes
Ngah Kuan Chow from the Department of Pharmacy, Hospital Sultanah Maliha, Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia, used regression analysis to examine the impact of sociodemographic, economic, health status, and lifestyle factors on the health quality of HIV-positive individuals in Malaysia between January 2020 and August 2020.
Research identified smoking as a critical risk factor for poor health-related quality of life among HIV-positive individuals. Socioeconomic status and lifestyle factors also influence well-being significantly.
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Gender and Socioeconomic Disparities
His findings showed that In South Africa, wealthier women were more likely to self-test for HIV due to better knowledge and accessibility, highlighting the role of economic disparities in healthcare behaviors.
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Risk Factors Among Vulnerable Populations
Elizbeth Reed from the School of Public Health, San Diego State University, California, USA, investigated the economic vulnerability, violent risk factors, and sexual risk factors for HIV among female sex workers in the city of Tijuana in Mexico using questionnaires and personal interviews.
During the study, the researchers found that improving the economic, and social conditions, and improving the well-being of female sex workers could reduce violence and HIV incidence.
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Economic Impact of Antiretrovirals
Demeulemeester, a researcher from the University of Toulouse III, employed a simulation based on an agent-based model and studied the economic effect of generic antiretrovirals in France for the period between 2019 and 2023.
The study found the introduction of generic antiretroviral drugs was projected to positively impact the economy by enabling HIV patients to lead longer, healthier lives.
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Healthcare Funding and Constraints
Annie Haakenstad, Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University did research between 2000 and 2016 using the spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression analysis on 137 low- and middle-income nations worldwide to study the costs associated with HIV/AIDS, and Government Funding.
This Global research on 137 nations highlights the limitations of domestic funding in combating HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries, despite increased government spending.
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HIV’s Economic Consequences
Dauda, lecturer, Department of Economics, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Nigeria used the GMM technique to study the connection between HIV/AIDS and the economic development of 11 different nations in West Africa. The researchers used variables such as incidence, prevalence, the number of persons living with HIV/AIDS, and mortality related to AIDS.
Ak Narayan Poudel, International Public Health Researcher, conducted a survey using quantitative research methodology to evaluate the financial impact that HIV/AIDS had on people and families in Nepal.The study by Dauda on West Africa and the research by Poudel on Nepal revealed that rising HIV prevalence negatively affects economic development and imposes significant financial burdens on families.
- Productivity and Antiretroviral Treatment
Bidzha, a Policy analyst from the University of Johannesburg, employed linear and non-linear econometric approaches to explore the impact of antiretroviral therapy on the connection between HIV/AIDS and real GDP per capita in South Africa from 1995 to 2019.
The study revealed antiretroviral therapy was found to mitigate HIV’s impact on GDP by improving worker productivity, especially among men.
Methodology and Findings
This latest study led by Metin Dincer from the Department of Health Management, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Turkiye examines how economic and risk factors, such as GNI, mean years of schooling (MYS), drug dependence (DD), and unsafe drug use (UD), affect HIV-related deaths (HIVD) using panel data from 1990 to 2019. Key findings include:
- Variance by Region: The share of DD was highest in developed European and Middle Asian countries, while Sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest. Education (MYS) played a significant role in reducing HIV prevalence in the long term, particularly in developing regions.
- Economic Indicators: GNI had a substantial impact on HIVD in regions such as South and Central America, with increased income correlating with improved long-term outcomes.
- Developed vs. Developing Countries: Developed nations showed a higher share of DD-related variance in HIVD, while underdeveloped countries exhibited more significant impacts from economic and educational factors.
Conclusion
This research underscores the complex interplay between socioeconomic, educational, and behavioral factors in shaping HIV outcomes. By analyzing these influences through panel data models and variance decomposition, the study contributes valuable insights into combating HIV/AIDS, particularly in underdeveloped regions where resources remain scarce.
