Do Sex Workers Respond to Disease? Evidence from the Male Market for Sex

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 2013
Volume: 103
Issue: 3
Pages: 445-50

Score contribution per author:

8.043 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Sex markets play a key role in the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV/AIDS in developing countries. While individuals should substitute away from risky sex as STI prevalence rises, female sex workers draw a premium for engaging in unprotected sex, mitigating their propensity to use condoms. We provide the first evidence of a positive premium for non-condom sex in developing country male sex markets. Testing whether this is a compensating differential for disease risk, we find that a one percentage point increase in the STI rate increases the premium 28 percent. Market forces may curb the self-limiting effect of STI epidemics.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:103:y:2013:i:3:p:445-50
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29