Jamal Abdul Nasir, Muhammad Imran, Syed Arif Ahmed Zaidi, Najeeb-ur Rehman, Fiaz Ahmad.
HIV/AIDS AWARENESS; Long distance truck drivers.
Professional Med J Jan ;22(12):1580-5.

To examine the awareness regarding HIV/AID and sexual behaviour among long distance truck drivers (LDTDs) in Bahawalpur division. Study design: A cross sectional population study. Setting: Three districts (Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and RYK). Data: Sample of size of 120 LDTDs is taken by using convenient sampling technique. Methods: Descriptive and inferential analysis carried out. Results: Every 6 out of 10 LDTDs have heard aboutHIV/AIDS and believed that sexual intercourse is a major mode of its transmission. The use of condom before sex is seldom among truckers. Exactly half of LDTDs have only one sexual partner while nearly quarter (23.3%) of the respondents currently having two sexual partners. Over half (54.2%) of truckers made payment for sex with commercial sex workers (CSWs) and only 3.3% did so with their helper/conductor. Two models are executed separately to explore the association of trucker’s knowledge about HIV/AIDS (Model 1) and those who paid for sex (Model 2). Pearson chi-square analysis exhibits that respondents having age group 25-30 year, those with native of Punjabi language, those who manage to earn more than 15,000 Pakistani rupees per month, those having secondary level of schooling and those watching TV has higher knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS. LDTDs with age thirty years and over, Saraiki speaking, monthly income less than 10,000, illiterate, unmarried, watching TV and remain away from home during current trip a week are found to be more prone to pay for sex to CSW. Conclusions: The awareness of HIV/AIDS and knowledge of its transmission through sexual contact is high among LDTDs but still public health strategies are needed to promote the knowledge of all possible transmission modes of HIV/AIDS and use of condom before sex, ultimately to improve health outcomes.

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