TY - JOUR AU - Shrestha, Sharmila AU - Shah, T AU - Lamsal, S AU - Mandal, GN PY - 2017/08/03 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Awareness of HIV/AIDS among transportation staff linked to Dharan municipality, Sunsari, Nepal JF - Health Renaissance JA - Health Renaissance VL - 13 IS - 3 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.3126/hren.v13i3.17931 UR - https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/HREN/article/view/17931 SP - 82-94 AB - <p><strong>Background: </strong>Transportation workers are the high risk group for HIV/AIDS infection because they travel frequently; often engage in unsafe sex to reduce their loneliness. The UN predicts 68 million more deaths over the next twenty years if efforts on prevention are not increased.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the level of awareness and to find out association between awareness about HIV/AIDS and selected variables.  </p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Cross sectional, descriptive study with sample of 197 staff (driver, conductor and helper) of buses and trucks of Dharan city. Purposive sampling technique was used with pretested semi structured questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Result: </strong>The median age of drivers was 28.5, conductor’s 28 and helper’s 21 years. Most of them (84.2%) were within the age group of 15-34 years. Majority stays (77.2%) less than a week away from home. Almost 93% had heard about HIV/AIDS. Still 55.8% &amp; 32.5% believed HIV is transmitted by insect bite and having food together respectively. Eighty one percent believed that HIV/AIDS status of self should not be kept secret with sexual partner. More than (56.7%) had first sexual exposure at the age of 19 or below. Maximum (77.4%) had not used condom at first sexual intercourse. About 15.2% has sex with CSWs. Among them 93.3% were frequenting CSW for more than once. Forty percent had multi-partner.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Staff of bus &amp; truck of Dharan showed as the awareness level increased, risk taking behavior decreased and attitude became more positive among the transportation staff.<strong><em> </em></strong></p><strong><em>Health Renaissance </em></strong><em>2015;13 (3): 82-94</em> ER -