Polygyny, Serodiscordance and HIV Prevention in Papua New Guinea: A Qualitative Exploration of Diverse Configurations

Polygyny is practised in vastly different cultural contexts, including in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The literature is contradictory, arguing that polygyny is either protective against HIV or a critical risk factor. Neither argument accounts for the diversity of polygyny. Even less attention has been paid to polygynous marriages with mixed HIV status (serodiscordance). This paper draws on a longitudinal study of the socio-cultural aspects of biomedicine among HIV serodiscordant couples and polygynous spouses in PNG. Findings revealed that polygynous marriages manifested in different constellations that need to be considered when seeking to understand variations of living with HIV and how prevention practices align with global biomedical messages. We argue that polygyny in PNG is too complex to be framed as either protective or risky in relation to HIV. Our findings highlight the importance of locally specific explorations of serodiscordant polygyny and HIV risk, to strengthen PNG's HIV prevention efforts.