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Sexually transmitted diseases and sexual lifestyles of long-distance truck drivers: A clinico-epidemiologic study in south India
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2002
Year
Sexual LifestylesStudy ObjectiveSexual HealthCommercial SexTreatment And PreventionVarious StdsLong-distance Truck DriversSocial SciencesSouth IndiaPublic HealthHighway ClinicSexual BehaviorSexual OrientationHuman SexualityEpidemiologySexual And Reproductive Health
Our study objective was to determine the prevalence and pattern of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and to study sexual lifestyles of long-distance truck drivers and their assistants in south India. For this, a total of 263 truck drivers/assistants were recruited from the highway clinic from October 1999 to March 2001. All of them were sexually active and heterosexual contact was the predominant mode (99.2%). Two-thirds of them had contact with commercial sex workers (CSWs) and roughly 60% admitted alcohol consumption. One hundred and two participants (38.7%) had various STDs. The positivity rates of HIV, VDRL and HBsAg were 15.9%, 13.3% and 21.2% respectively. The higher median age, education less than primary school level, longer duration of occupation, longer duration of each trip and a previous history of genital ulcer disease were significant risk factors for the acquisition of HIV infection.