Kanjilal B, Forsythe S, Ganesh V, Balasubramaniam G; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 976 (abstract no. 44201).

IIHMR, Sanganer Airport, Jaipur.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the potential socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS epidemic among truckers on the Indian trucking industry (as a part of a DFID-sponsored AIDS-control project for truckers in India). METHODS: Data on industry's present economic status and labour relations were collected through interviews with about 1000 truck owners, 80 truck drivers, and stakeholder such as insurance and finance companies, and industry leaders from different parts of the country. Sectoral impacts were classified into (a) direct, such as, social security benefits, health care and death benefits, etc., and (b) indirect, such as, loss in output, replacement investments, increase in number of accidents, and so on. Number of HIV-infected truckers was estimated through available sero-prevalence data and epidemiological models. Each of the impacts was then assessed both at sectoral and micro level using quantitative and qualitative information. RESULTS: Total projected number of HIV-infected truckers in 2005 AD. worked out to between 1.3 million an 2.4 million (12%-20% of all truckers). The direct impact would be less significant on the industry due to non-existence of labour-welfare policy. However, the epidemic is likely to aggravate the shortage of skilled driver triggering the indirect impacts such as loss in output and increase in accidents. Due to high demand elasticities, the burden of epidemic is less likely to be shifted to consumers and the smaller companies would probably be hardest hit. The shortage would also likely to contribute towards industry's slow progress towards desired technological change. CONCLUSION: While the impact of the epidemic has, for the most part, not yet been felt in the industry, it is very likely that it would become much more visible within the next five to ten years. Due to its fragmented and decentralized nature, the industry is highly vulnerable to external shocks. The study underlines the immediate need for intensive advocacy for cost-effective strategies like workplace intervention.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Demography
• Disease Outbreaks
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Health Services Needs and Demand
• Humans
• India
• Industry
• Occupations
• Prevalence
• methods

Other ID:

• 98406933

UI: 102231834

From Meeting Abstracts