HIV/AIDS epidemiological correlates of sexual behaviour in urban migrant workers, India

Ravisankar Kulasekaran, Annamalai University
Ramachandran Sambasivam, Annamalai University

Study was conducted one of high HIV prevalence state of India during 2009 with financial support of Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) among the hotel migrant workers in Tamilnadu, India. The criteria used in selecting the study areas include the number of hotels, volume of hotel migrant workers and prevalence rate of HIV. By simple random method, 609 respondents are selected from 20 PSUs who made more than two moves during last three years. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval are computed to assess risk association. Sexual activity was widespread among hotel migrant workers, irrespective of their marital status. Mean age at first sexual experience was 23.49 years. One-third had sexual contact with FSWs in past 12 months and fifty percent had sexual relationship with Non-FSWs. Unmarried migrants started their sexual actions with FSWs/Non-FSWs at less than 19 years. Condom usage was high with FSWs (68.3percent) than with Non-FSWs (20.0percent). It indicates migrants’ perception of chance of getting HIV/AIDS varies according to their partners. Overall, 30percent of migrants suffered by any one sexual health/STIs related symptoms. Regression analysis results shows that degree of mobility have an extreme positive relation with incidence of self-reported symptoms of STIs among clients of FSWs/Non-FSWs. The workers who have two moves are 4.5 times more likely to report symptoms of STIs. Educational status of migrant workers has a significant positive relationship with occurrence of STIs among clients of FSWs/Non-FSWs. Exposure to pornography related matters is much strong predictor of STIs symptoms. Degree of mobility has extreme positive relation with incidence of STIs among clients of FSWs/Non-FSWs and risk of getting HIV will be more. It is recommended that HIV prevention interventions might benefit these populations if providing with the help of local para-medical professionals in their working place itself.