International migration and the propagation of HIV in sub-Saharan Africa

Frédéric Docquier, Chrysovalantis Vasilakis and D. Tamfutu Munsi

Journal of Health Economics, 2014, vol. 35, issue C, 20-33

Abstract: In this paper, we identify and quantify the role of international migration in the propagation of HIV across sub-Saharan African countries. We use panel data on bilateral migration flows and HIV prevalence rates covering 44 countries after 1990. Controlling for unobserved heterogeneity, reverse causality, reflection issues, incorrect treatment of country fixed effects and spatial autocorrelation, we find evidence of a highly robust emigration-induced propagation mechanism. On the contrary, immigration has no significant effect. Numerical experiments reveal that the long-run effect of emigration accounts for more than 4 percent of the number of HIV cases in 15 countries (and more than 20 percent in 6 countries).

Keywords: International migration; Labor mobility; HIV/AIDS; Pandemics; Propagation of diseases (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 I12 J61 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Related works:
Working Paper: International Migration and the Propagation of HIV in Sub- Saharan Africa (2014)
Working Paper: International Migration and the Propagation of HIV in Sub- Saharan Africa (2014)
Working Paper: International Migration and the Propagation of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:35:y:2014:i:c:p:20-33

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2014.01.004

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