Best practices in global STD/HIV prevention among international truckers

The role of mobile populations in the spread of STDs and HIV is well documented in several countries of the world. Long-haul truck drivers in developing countries play an important part in communicable STD disease transmission. Reports confirm that 26% of truck drivers and transportation workers (loaders) in Kenya and Zaire are HIV positive. Truckers in Zimbabwe and South Africa are also found to be at risk for STDs and HIV. A multi-area study in India revealed high rates of STDs among intercity truck drivers, with 78% percent of truck drivers sharing they had sexual relations with multiple partners, including sex workers. Truckers in the Indo-Pakistani region were unclear how HIV was transmitted or prevented. A study in Thailand found many HIV positive truckers engaging in sexual relations with multiple sex workers along their routes. Studies conducted in Brazil, the Mexico/Guatemala border and Central America found that truck drivers lacked knowledge of how HIV and STDs were contracted and perceived they were not at risk for these communicable diseases. In this presentation, effective global STD/HIV prevention campaigns such as mobile STD clinics, education and outreach at truck stops and cargo loading areas, effective billboard campaigns, media and Internet messaging, peer education strategies, and other effective prevention initiatives being conducted internationally will be discussed, as well as how these strategies could be applied to the 3 million at risk long-haul truckers in the U.S.