For young adults living in countries with AIDS
epidemics, getting an HIV test may influence near-term
decisions, such as when to leave school, when to marry,
and when to have a first child. These behaviors, which
define the transition from adolescence to adulthood, have
long-term implications on well-being and directly affect
a person’s risk of contracting HIV. Using an experimentaldesign embedded in a panel survey from Malawi, this
study assesses the impact of voluntary counseling and
testing of young adults for HIV on these decisions. The
results show negligible intent-to-treat effect of HIV
testing on behaviors. There is some suggestive evidence
on differential response by wealth and by prior beliefs
about one’s status.