Mobility and HIV Risk among Fishers in Elmina Fishing Community in the Central Region of Ghana

Abstract

Human population mobility has long been strongly linked to high HIV transmission among fishers, and yet little empirical research has been undertaken to establish any inter-connections. This study investigates the relationship between mobility and HIV risks amongst fishers, focusing on fishers in Elmina. The theories used are the Push and Pull Model, Social Control Theory, Health Belief Model, and Theory of Gender and Power. Using a cross-sectional approach which employed mix-methods for data collection and analysis, this study has provided clarification and added to existing documentation on fishers’ mobility and its interrelation with HIV risks among them. The study finds that mobility constitutes an integral and important aspect of fulfilling the occupational goal of fishers, but elevates their risks of contracting HIV through increased casual sexual behaviours, inconsistent use of condom, and limited participation in HIV and AIDS education programmes. Through a binary logistic regression, the study reveals that younger fishers are less likely to use condoms, and having higher education increases the likelihood of non-use of condoms compared to fishers with lower or no education. These findings are important signposts for the planning of related interventions in the future. Another major finding is that most women in the study area are vulnerable to HIV because of their inability to negotiate decisions that border on sexuality, such as the use of condoms. This stems from prevailing inequalities in the fishing communities that favour men against women. The study also reveals the occurrence of fish-for-sex (FFS) transactional relationships in the study area, and the engagement of fifteen percent of the sample studied. The results show that 6 out of every 10 of the respondents did not use condoms in FFS sexual encounters they had in the last 12 months, their reason being that FFS is a harmless intimate primary relationship but not a casual one that elevates HIV risks hence the use of condoms is not necessary. This signifies a gap in HIV and AIDS knowledge and also exposes the serious threat of the possible infection of the virus among this group. Future programmes need to explore ways of supplying free condoms and encouraging fishers to be consistent with the use of them. Since the study found that mobility limits participation in HIV programmes, ways must be explored to reach population groups who due to their highly mobility are limited in participating in HIV education interventions, Programme planners must also introduce initiatives that improve selfefficacy amongst women and empower them to insist on their rights on sexual issues. An additional boost of empowering women to insist and negotiate on their sexual rights is to explore ways of granting them capital to buy fish. If women have the means to buy, they will not have to do so on credit and get indebted to their male counterparts which compels them to engage in FFS transactions which elevates their risks to HIV infection.