Table 1. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis for the background characteristics and sexual and marital histories of the selected women (Malawi Diffusion and Ideational Change Project, 2001 and 2004).

	Total number (%)(n = 926)	No (%) with HIV(n = 83)	p Value
Background characteristics
Age (years)
⩽30	241 (26.0)	22 (9.1)	0.749
31–40	339 (36.6)	33 (9.7)
>40	346 (37.4)	28 (8.1)
Region
North	322 (34.8)	20 (6.2)	0.022
Central	289 (31.2)	24 (8.3)
South	315 (34.0)	39 (12.4)
Sexual history
Sexual debut
Sexual debut by age 15	371 (40.1)	41 (11.1)	0.069
Sexual debut after age 15	555 (59.9)	42 (7.6)
First sexual partner
Spouse	621 (67.1)	46 (7.4)	0.018
Other	305 (32.9)	37 (12.1)
Total number of lifetime partners*
1	458 (49.5)	23 (5.0)	<0.001
2	286 (30.9)	34 (11.9)
⩾3	181 (19.6)	26 (14.4)
Marital history
Marital status in 2004
Married	823 (88.9)	67 (8.1)	0.046
Divorced/separated	59 (6.3)	9 (15.3)
Widowed	44 (4.8)	7 (9.0)
Ever married	926 (100.0)
History of divorce
Ever divorced	328 (35.4)	43 (13.1)	0.001
Never divorced	598 (64.6)	40 (6.7)
History of widowhood
Ever widowed†	91 (9.8)	21 (23.1)	<0.001
Never widowed	835 (90.2)	62 (7.4)
Characteristics and behaviours of sexual and marital partners
Age difference with first spouse‡
>5 years	285 (30.8)	19 (6.7)	0.202
⩽5 years	518 (55.9)	48 (9.3)
Was part of at least one polygamous union
Yes	458 (45.5)	50 (10.9)	0.037
No	468 (50.5)	32 (7.0)
Had EMSP during any marriage
Yes	79 (8.5)	9 (11.4)	0.429
No	847 (91.5)	74 (8.7)
Knows at least one husband had EMSP§
Yes	387 (41.8)	41 (10.7)	0.218
No	539 (58.2)	32 (8.0)

EMSP, extramarital sexual partner(s).

*Includes both spousal and non-spousal partners.

†Includes women who were ever widowed and also ever divorced.

‡123 missing values.

§141 missing values.