Families lacking sufficient nutritious food are more vulnerable, as poor nutrition is closely linked with poor health. This in turn makes a person more vulnerable to HIV infection and can shorten the incubation period of HIV, meaning that symptoms appear sooner. And the situation is worst for the poor, who have the least access to medical care. Poverty also makes AIDS education difficult, given poor people's lower levels of literacy and limited access to mass media and health and education services, particularly in rural areas. In addition, people struggling with daily survival are less inclined to worry about the long-term implications of illness and therefore are less likely to take preventive measures.
Poor women are especially vulnerable.
They tend to be ill-informed on health matters and have little power over any aspect of sexual relations, meaning they are at high risk if their husbands are infected.