Exploring the relationship between population mobility and HIV risk: Evidence from Tanzania

Abstract

Migration and population mobility has long been regarded as an important structural driver of HIV. Following initial concerns regarding the spatial spread of the disease, mobile populations are viewed to engage in higher levels of risky sexual behaviours than non-mobile groups. However, beyond the case studies of mineworkers and truck drivers, the statistical evidence is inconclusive, suggesting that the relationship between mobility and risk is not well understood. This study investigated how engaging in specific livelihoods that involve mobility influences sexual behaviour and HIV risk. A qualitative research project, including focus groups and in-depth interviews with key mobile groups, was conducted in Northern Tanzania. The findings show that the patterns and conditions of moving related to the requirements of each different economic activity influence the nature of relationships that mobile groups have whilst away, how and where local sexual networks are accessed, and the practicalities of having sex. This has further implications for condom use. Risk behaviours are also shaped by local sexual norms related to transactional sex, emphasising that the roles of mobility and gender are interrelated, overlapping, and difficult to disentangle.

Understanding mobility and sexual risk behaviour among women in fishing communities of Lake Victoria in East Africa: a qualitative study

“…As important as mobility may be to an individual's economic survival, it has also been associated with interrupting lifestyles, access to healthcare services and elevating risk profiles of those affected [14,29,30]. In this study we found that mobility was associated with high risk sexual behaviour that exposed individuals to HIV infections.…”

Mapping and characterising areas with high levels of HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa: A geospatial analysis of national survey data

“…Improving the resilience of affected populations against the associated health risks, might be considered an integral part of such development. Moreover, as the population in these areas is likely to be highly mobile [41,42], effective prevention for young adults in high-prevalence areas may not only affect the local HIV epidemics, but also the wider epidemic. Ultimately, our results demonstrate that the decade-old mantra of "know your epidemic, know your response" [43] is still highly relevant for SSA.…”

Linking gender, extramarital affairs, and HIV: a mixed methods study on contextual determinants of extramarital affairs in rural Tanzania

“…An evidence from Tanzania indicated that patterns and conditions of mobile population in relation to their requirements of each different economic activity influenced the nature of relationships that mobile groups have, how and where local sexual networks are accessed, and the practicalities of having sex. The authors pointed that this trend has further implications for condom use [ 39 ]. Another study among the key populations in Tanzania indicated that the long-truck drivers were potentially at risk of engaging in higher risk sex (not using condoms during heterosexual anal sex) [ 20 ].…”