Truck drivers in Brazil: prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, risk behavior and potential for spread of infection.
AIDS
; 11 Suppl 1: S15-9, 1997 Sep.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9376096
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES:
To determine the prevalence of HIV and syphilis and related risk behavior in a sample of truck drivers in Santos, Brazil. SUBJECTS ANDMETHODS:
A cross-sectional study was performed of 300 male truck drivers recruited in the port of Santos, Brazil, including a face-to-face interview and blood sampling for HIV and syphilis serology.RESULTS:
Of 300 subjects, 4 (1.3%) were positive for HIV, 25 (8.3%) for syphilis by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test and 38 (13%) were positive for syphilis by the fluorescent treponemal antibody (absorbed) test (FTA-Abs). Seventy-one per cent had been employed as truck drivers for more than 10 years and 93% lived outside of Santos. Most participants were married (72%); 40% reported having more than one sex partner; 21% reported sex with commercial sex workers; 14% reported sex with girls that they met on the road; 16% had sex with other men's wives; and 3.3% reported sex with men during the past year. The use of rebite, an oral stimulant, was reported by 43% and was associated with being FTA-Abs-positive (P = 0.04). Being HIV-positive was associated with having sex with friends (P = 0.04), partners usually considered 'safe' by truck drivers. Being syphilis-positive (VDRL) was significantly associated with sex with partners also considered as 'safe', namely primary sex partners, steady partners and other men's wives.DISCUSSION:
This is the first study to determine HIV and syphilis seroprevalence among truck drivers in South America. Findings confirm that this group has a high potential risk for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, and thus currently presents an opportunity for prevention.Palavras-chave
Americas; Behavior; Brazil; Cross Sectional Analysis; Developing Countries; Diseases; Economic Factors; Hiv Infections--men; Human Resources; Infections; Labor Force--men; Latin America; Prostitutes; Reproductive Tract Infections; Research Methodology; Research Report; Risk Behavior--men; Sex Behavior--men; Sexual Partners; Sexually Transmitted Diseases--men; South America; Syphilis--men; Viral Diseases
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis
/
Infecções por HIV
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
1997
Tipo de documento:
Article