title: HIV testing of construction workers in the Western Cape, South Africa.
abstract: With an infection rate estimated at 14%, the South African construction industry is one of the economic sectors most adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Construction workers are considered a high-risk group. The provision and uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) is critical to reducing transmission rates. This study examined the testing behaviour of site-based construction workers in terms of demographic and lifestyle risk behaviour characteristics to help inform better strategies for work-based interventions by construction firms. A total of 512 workers drawn from six firms operating on 18 construction sites in the Western Cape province participated in the study. Twenty-seven per cent of the participants reported never having been tested for HIV. Results indicate that females (aOR = 4.45, 95% CI, 1.25-15.82), older workers (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI, 1.08-1.81), permanent workers (aOR = 1.67, 95% CI, 1.11-2.50) and workers whom had previously used a condom (aOR = 1.93, 95% CI, 1.02-3.65) were significantly more likely to have been tested. Ethnicity was not significantly related to prior testing. Identification of these subgroups within the industry has implications for the development of targeted work-based intervention programmes to promote greater HIV testing among construction workers in South Africa.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Construction Economics and Management , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.affiliation: b Centre for Social Science Research and Department of Sociology , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.
authors.forename: Rajen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Govender
authors.affiliation: c School of Property, Construction & Project Management , RMIT University , Melbourne , VIC , Australia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: a Department of Construction Economics and Management , University of Cape Town , Cape Town , South Africa.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cattell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D060389:Construction Industry; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV testing; South Africa; construction workers; demographics; risk behaviours