Advancing Women In Leadership Journal Volume 30, 2010 making some ethnic groups more vulnerable than others. The ethnic groups included in this study are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Embu Kamba Kisii Luo Meru Taita/Taveta Kuria
8. Kalenjin 9. Kikuyu 10. Luhya 11. Masai 12. Mijikenda/Swahili 13. Turkana 14. Other
Region of Residence Different lifestyles influenced by access to resources in different regions may exhibit different levels of vulnerability. The region of residence variable was divided into eight categories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Nairobi Central Coast Eastern Nyanza Rift Valley Western North Eastern
Marital Status The literature has suggested that all categories of women are vulnerable to HIV infection due to different reasons (Fleischman, 2003; NACC, 2002). In this study it is expected that there will be differences in HIV vulnerability based on a woman’s marital status. The marital status variable comprised of six categories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Never married Married Living together Widowed Divorced Married, Not living together
Employment In this study it is expected that there will be differences in HIV vulnerability based on whether someone currently works or not with those who are unemployed being more vulnerable (Farmer et al., 1996; Mann & Tarantola, 1996). The original categories were as follows:
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