MIGRANT WORKERS: A RISK FACTOR FOR HIV TRANSMISSION

Authors

  • Nadeem Ikram
  • Qazi Mujtaba Kamal
  • Sabina Nisar Ahmed
  • Mehmood ul Hassan
  • Hayat Mir Tariq

Abstract

Background: HIV continues to be a threat in both developed and developing countries. Pakistan hasentered concentrated epidemic from low epidemic stage. The prevalence of HIV is more in at riskpopulation particularly intravenous drug users (IDUs). Studies are required to find out other risk factorscontributing to spread of the disease in the general population in order to prevent the spread of diseaseamong general population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on patients reporting forHIV testing at National HIV/STI Referral Lab, National AIDS Control Program (NACP) from Januaryto December 2011. Results: A total of 345 patients reported to the lab during the study period. Thedetailed histories of 271 patients were available out of which 131 (48.3%) patients were found to bepositive for HIV. Minimum age of patient with HIV was 2 years while maximum age was 64 years.HIV affected those more significantly who had visited abroad (p=0.000) or were IDUs (p=0.000).Extramarital sexual activity, blood transfusion, or any surgical procedure in the past was not found to besignificant (p=0.574, p=0.243, p=0.252 respectively). Most of the affected males were drivers (16,12.2%) by profession. Among them 9 had visited gulf countries and 4 of them were deported from thegulf countries having HIV. Conclusion: Migrant workers are a risk factor for HIV transmission. Policymay be developed to focus on this population who continues to spread HIV among their spouses andchildren as a result of unawareness about their HIV status and its modes of transmission.Keywords: Migrant workers, HIV, gulf countries, deported

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Published

2011-12-01

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 4 (2011): JOURNAL OF AYUB MEDICAL COLLEGE, ABBOTTABAD

Section

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

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