Men’s labor migration and sexually transmitted diseases among rural women in Armenia

Arusyak Sevoyan, Arizona State University
Victor Agadjanian, Arizona State University

The recent literature on the association between migration and STDs/HIV has shown that the effect of migration on the spread of STDs/HIV is not as straightforward as earlier believed. Studies in various settings have found that migration may increase the risks of STDs/HIV. The latest research has focused on the risks of the partners of migrants and the association of migration with the spread of STDs/HIV among those left behind. However, the evidence remains inconclusive. To contribute to the literature, this study examines the association between STDs among rural women and their husbands' seasonal labor migration. The analysis uses diagnosed STDs and STD related symptoms reported in a 2007 survey of 1240 rural women in an impoverished province of Armenia, characterized by high levels of labor out-migration. The results support the positive association between migration and STDs but also show that this association is dependent on household income.