The Enduring Factors of HIV : Exploring the Role of Genetic Diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa's HIV Epidemic

This paper establishes new evidence that an enduring societal factor - genetic diversity - is linked with HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. We show that higher genetic diversity has a mitigating effect on to the spread of HIV. Importantly, the linked between genetic diversity and HIV remains statistically significant even after controlling for a large number of factors that may influence HIV transmission, as well as for other forms of diversity, such as religion and culture, and the level of trust within societies. This study highlights the importance of targeted strategies that consider the potential influence of long-term structural factors in the development of effective prevention and management measures for HIV