ABSTRACT

This study examines the long-term effect of Christian missionary exposure on HIV infection and related sexual behaviour in Zambia. I use distance to a historical missionary church and health facility as proxies for missionary exposure. I constructed a geocoded data set combining information on the historical locations of churches and missionary health centres with contemporary individual-level data. I find that individuals who live close to a historical missionary church have a higher likelihood of being infected with HIV. I find no significant effect of proximity to a missionary health centre on HIV. Considering that heterosexual transmission is the main channel of HIV transmission in Zambia, I analyse the effect of missionary exposure on sexual behaviour. The following patterns emerge: individuals who live close to a Protestant church are less likely to engage in premarital sexual abstinence; they also have their first sexual encounter at an earlier age, with the effect being stronger for men than women. Living near a Catholic church is associated with having a higher number of sexual partners.

摘要

本研究探讨了赞比亚基督教传教士接触艾滋病毒感染和相关性行为的长期影响。我使用距历史悠久的传教教堂和医疗机构的距离作为传教接触的代表。我构建了一个地理编码数据集，将教堂和传教士健康中心的历史位置信息与当代个人数据相结合。我发现住在历史悠久的传教教堂附近的人感染艾滋病毒的可能性更高。我发现靠近传教士健康中心对艾滋病毒没有显着影响。考虑到异性传播是赞比亚艾滋病毒传播的主要渠道，我分析了传教士接触对性行为的影响。出现以下模式：居住在新教教堂附近的人不太可能进行婚前性禁欲；她们第一次性行为的年龄也较早，男性的影响比女性更强。住在天主教堂附近与拥有更多的性伴侣有关。