What Are the Causes of the High AIDS Prevalence Rate in Botswana?

According to the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP), AIDS has dramatically affected Botswana, where the average life expectancy dropped from age 65 in the 1990s to 40.

The Facts

• Botswana is located is the southern part of Africa. The country once boasted a stable economy from diamond mines, but the industry's success contributed to the spread of AIDS. According to pbs.org, miners would catch HIV from sex workers in mining towns, infecting their wives when they returned home.

Significance

• AVERT.org reports that Botswana has the second-highest number of HIV-infected residents in the world---nearly 25 percent of its population---and almost 100,000 children have lost a parent to the epidemic.

History

• Women typically are unable to participate equally in decision-making when it comes to sex, according to AidsandAfrica.com, with unsafe sexual practices as a result.

Causes

• Having multiple partners is one of the main reasons for Botswana's high AIDS rate, says pbs.org. In a study by Physicians for Human Rights, 25 percent of women and 40 percent of men reported having multiple partners. Despite these numbers, 46 percent said they don't use condoms during sex.

Considerations

• Alcohol isn't directly linked to AIDS, but plays a role in risky sexual behavior, says psi.org. Stigma is also a factor, reports pbs.org, with few people saying publicly that they're HIV positive.