This paper makes methodological and empirical contributions to
the study of HIV in the context of Botswana, a country with high HIV prevalence.
Comparable evidence is presented from India to put the Botswana results
in perspective. The results point to the strong role played by affluence
and education in increasing HIV knowledge, promoting safe sex and reducing
HIV prevalence. The study presents African evidence on the role played by the
empowerment of women in promoting safe sex practices such as condom use.
The lack of significant association between HIV prevalence and safe sex practice
points to the danger of HIV-infected individuals spreading the disease through
multiple sex partners and unprotected sex. This danger is underlined by the finding
that females with multiple sex partners are at higher risk of being infected
with HIV. These results take on special policy significance in the context of
Botswana, where the issue of multiple sex partners has not been adequately
addressed in the programme to contain the spread of HIV.