Summary Report: Behavioural Surveillance Survey in Healthy Highway Project, India: Part 14

Reported condom use during the last sex with a non-paying partner was also highest (75%) in West zone and lowest (16%) in Central zone.

Knowledge indicators

Awareness about HIV/AIDS was higher than that of STIs in most zones except the East zone. For example, all the FSWs in the South zone had said that they had heard about AIDS, while only 77% had said that they also knew about STIs. Similarly, 90% FSWs in West zone knew about AIDS as compared to 62% who knew about STIs (Table 11).

Table 11: Awareness about STIs/HIV/AIDS among FSWs in various zones

The knowledge that consistent condom use prevented HIV infection ranged from 60% FSWs in North-East zone to 95% in West zone.

Other findings

Only 2% FSWs in the Central zone had said that they were approached by NGO staff for awareness regarding HIV/AIDS prevention during the preceding year. The same responses were given by 17% FSWs in North zone, 39% in East zone, 32% in West zone, 24% in South zone and 22% in North-East zone.

Sexual health

More than 75% FSWs in various zones had said that they did not have genital discharge or ulcer during the preceding year. The proportion of respondents reporting vaginal discharge was highest (16%) in North-East zone and lowest (1%) in North zone.

The proportion of FSWs who had said that they had HIV test ranged from 6% in Central zone to 42% in West zone.

Discussion

The findings of this survey contributed to the baseline measurements of behaviour and knowledge indicators among truck drivers and helpers, stationary workers and FSWs operating on the national highways, against which trends could be tracked over time. The results of this wave of the BSS also provided useful and actionable information regarding HIV related risk behaviours and knowledge prevalent at that point of time among these groups. Some of the key information are discussed below.

• The results of the baseline wave of the BSS estimated that the proportion of truck drivers, on an all India basis, reporting sexual intercourse with a female sex worker was 33.5%. On a regional basis, more truck drivers in Central and North reported sex with both regular and commercial partners than in other zones.
• The study showed that the proportion of truck helpers reporting sexual intercourse with a female sex worker was 30.5% and for stationary workers, it was 15%. Thus, mobile populations reported more risky behaviour than the non-mobile populations.
• An analysis by age showed that more truck drivers and truck helpers in the 18 to 24 year age group reported sex with a FSW. Also, in all three categories of males, of those reporting sex with any non-regular partner, a large majority was below 30 years of age.
• Proportions of all three male segments reporting sex with female sex workers were higher than the proportions reporting sex with non-regular non-commercial partners.
• Reported consistent condom use with FSWs was higher among all three male segments as compared to consistent condom use during sex with a non-regular partner. For example, 43% truck drivers, 29% truck helpers and 31% stationary workers had reported consistent use of condoms during sex with a FSW. The corresponding figures for a non-regular partner were 20%, 17% and 15% respectively.
• The proportion of truck drivers reporting consistent condom use with FSWs was lower in east and North-East zones (27% and 18% respectively) and higher in South and Central zones (59% and 58% respectively).
• The reported condom use during last commercial sex was higher than the reported rate of consistent condom use in all segments. For example, 52% FSWs had said that they practiced consistent condom use with commercial clients, while 76% of them had stated that they had used it during the last sex. Similarly, 43% truck drivers and 29% truck helpers had said that they used condoms for every sex with commercial partner, 67% and 53% of them respectively had reported condom use during last sex with such partner.
• Truck Drivers reported more condom use in sex with FSWs in West, Central and South than in East and North East zones. A total of 45% each of truck drivers in the East and North East zones had said that they had used condoms during their last sex with FSWs, whereas 85% truck drivers in Central zone, 76% of them in South zone and 75% in North zone had reported the same practice.
• On a number of parameters, FSWs reported safer behaviours in South and West zones compared to FSWs from other zones. For instance, consistent condom use was reported by 85% FSWs in West and 85% in South zone as compared to 35% in North, 37% in East, 31% in Central and 41% in North-East zones.
• Just as for consistent condom use, the reported condom use during last sex by the clients of FSWs was higher in the South and West zones (96% and 94% respectively). It was least in Central zone (54%).