title: Sexually transmitted diseases and sexual lifestyles of long-distance truck drivers: a clinico-epidemiologic study in south India.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and STD, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry-605 006, India.
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Manjunath
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Thappa
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Jaisankar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009790:Occupations; D015995:Prevalence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014186:Transportation