RESEARCH PAPER
Human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted disease awareness and condom usage among long-distance internal truck drivers in Pune, India
 
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Submission date: 2017-07-01
 
 
Final revision date: 2017-12-03
 
 
Acceptance date: 2017-12-03
 
 
Publication date: 2018-03-13
 
 
HIV & AIDS Review 2018;17(1):40-48
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Introduction:
The study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of sexually transmitted disease (STD) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and condom usage among long-distance internal truck drivers in Pune, India.

Material and methods:
Cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at Pune-Solapur highway in India. The data was collected from 360 truck drivers. The symptoms were suggested by the investigators.

Results:
The mean age of truck drivers was 37.8 (SD = 10.8). Only 90 (25%) were educated up to senior secondary school or higher. Awareness among truck drivers about modes of spread of HIV/AIDS for unprotected sex, blood transfusion, needle sharing, mother to unborn child, breast milk was 80%, 56.1%, 51.7%, 60.3%, and 38.1%, respectively. Truck drivers with misconception score (about mode of transmission) of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 were 43 (11.4%), 60 (16.8%), 80 (22.2%), 74 (20.8%), 86 (23.9%), and 17 (4.9%), respectively. Both knowledge and misconception score were associated with education. Median knowledge score for specific symptoms of STD was 2. Only 67 (18.6%) participants used a condom each time during sexual act. A total of 151 (41.9%) condoms were obtained from peer educators/NGO, and 280 (77.8%) drivers said that they will use a condom if available for free near brothels or ‘dhabas’, and educated about proper use of a condom.

Conclusions:
The awareness about the STD was insufficient, and a delay in health seeking among truck drivers was noted. Condom usage among the truck drivers was low. These results suggest the need for focused behavioral change program, including modification in health seeking behavior among long-distance truck drivers.

 
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