HIV/AIDS AWARENESS

Objectives: To examine the awareness regarding HIV/AID and sexual behaviouramong long distance truck drivers (LDTDs) in Bahawalpur division. Study design: A crosssectional 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 heardaboutHIV/AIDS and believed that sexual intercourse is a major mode of its transmission. Theuse of condom before sex is seldom among truckers. Exactly half of LDTDs have only onesexual partner while nearly quarter (23.3%) of the respondents currently having two sexualpartners. 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 separatelyto explore the association of trucker’s knowledge about HIV/AIDS (Model 1) and those whopaid for sex (Model 2). Pearson chi-square analysis exhibits that respondents having age group25-30 year, those with native of Punjabi language, those who manage to earn more than 15,000Pakistani rupees per month, those having secondary level of schooling and those watchingTV has higher knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS. LDTDs with age thirty years and over, Saraikispeaking, monthly income less than 10,000, illiterate, unmarried, watching TV and remainaway from home during current trip a week are found to be more prone to pay for sex toCSW. Conclusions: The awareness of HIV/AIDS and knowledge of its transmission throughsexual contact is high among LDTDs but still public health strategies are needed to promotethe knowledge of all possible transmission modes of HIV/AIDS and use of condom before sex,ultimately to improve health outcomes.