An Assessment of Vulnerability to HIV Infection of Female Smugglers in Hilli Port, Bangladesh

Abstract

Female smugglers in Hilli port of Bangladesh are more vulnerable of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS because of their high mobility. Therefore, the assessment of vulnerability to HIV infection among female smugglers has long been an interesting topic to population and health researchers in Bangladesh. This study is an effort to assess the determinants of knowledge and awareness about HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS contamination risks, sexually abused through smuggling, perpetrators of sexually abused and perpetrators of drug affection among female smugglers based on the data of 300 female smugglers in Hilli port, Bangladesh collected by purposive sampling technique, which are the key elements of the assessment of vulnerability to HIV infection. To carry out the objectives, univariate, bivariate and multivariate techniques like descriptive statistics, chi-square test, binary logistic regression analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis have been employed in accordance with their importance. In this study, it is observed that most of the female smugglers are belonged to <30 years of ages (82%) in which a remarkable numbers (22.3%) are teenagers, i.e., 10-20 years aged. The majorities have primary (30%) and under secondary (31.7%) level of education. Similar pattern of parent’s educational qualification has been observed where mother’s education has downgraded relative to father’s education in every level of education. Again, the majorities (63%) have earned 500-1000 Tk per month and all of female smugglers have improved their living conditions through this profession. Poverty (95%), pressure of family (56.3%) and absence of husband (38%) have been found as main cause of involvement in this profession. However, only 50% have details knowledge, 51.3% have knowledge about the way to protect from HIV/AIDS and 45% have awareness about HIV/AIDS. Although 70% female smugglers know that condom can protect this epidemic but only 30% use condom at the time of sex. The majorities (69.3%) think that they have the risks of HIV/AIDS contamination because 74% have been sexually abused by male colleagues (53.5%), Indian track drivers (30.9%), BSF (13.4%) and BGB (2.3%) through this profession, in which 55% exercise unsafe sex. Furthermore, most of the female smugglers (92.3%) have been influenced to take drug by male colleagues (39.7%), Indian track drivers (45.5%), BSF (11.2%) and BGB (3.6%) through the profession of smuggling. However, it has been identified that educated respondents, those have awareness by person, doctor and NGO workers, those have knowledge about the bad impact of HIV/AIDS from media, those are participated in HIV/AIDS seminar and in religious seminar are more likely to have knowledge about HIV/AIDS as compared with their counterparts respectively; and respondents who are belonged to >20 years of age group, those have awareness by person, doctor and NGO workers and who have any understanding with HIV affected persons are more likely to have awareness about HIV/AIDS as against their counterparts respectively. Again, there have been found the statistical significant association of HIV/AIDS contamination risks with knowledge about the way to protect from HIV/AIDS, exercise unsafe sex, participation on HIV/AIDS seminar, sexually abused passing through smuggling, using condom in sexual relation and influence to taking drugs in this profession respectively. In addition, respondents who exercise unsafe sex, those are sexually abused and influenced to take drugs passing through smuggling have found to be having more risks of HIV/AIDS contamination as against their counterparts respectively. In this study, smuggler’s age, father’s education, marital status, reasons of coming to smuggling, monthly income through smuggling and unsafe sex have statistical significant association; and smuggler’s age, reasons of coming to this profession, monthly income through smuggling, unsafe sex and drug affecting have statistical significant effect on sexually abused through smuggling respectively. It is also mentionable that female smugglers are more vulnerable of sexually abused after 25 years of their ages and poverty is one of the main reasons to coming this profession which is also significant reason of sexually abused. Nevertheless, the chance of sexually abused has been decreased with increasing the monthly income through smuggling. It has been determined through multinomial logistic regression analysis that father’s education, marital status, unsafe sex and types of drug affecting have significant effect on Indian track driver; and respondent’s educational status, marital status, reasons of coming to smuggling and monthly income through smuggling have significant effect on BSF/BGB by whom female smugglers are sexually abused. It is clear that the vulnerability of sexually abused by BSF/BGB decreases with increasing the smuggler’s educational level and monthly income through this profession; and unmarried female smugglers and those have the habit of unsafe sex and injection or other types of drug using have been sexually abused more by Indian track driver respectively. There have also been found the significant associations of perpetrators of drug affecting with smuggler’s age, educational status, father’s education, mother’s education, marital status, reasons of coming to smuggling, monthly income through smuggling, unsafe sex and types of drug affecting respectively. The tendency of drug affecting through male colleague of smuggling and Indian track driver is increasing with increasing smuggler’s age, and unmarried female smugglers have more chance of drug affecting by them. Moreover, the smugglers whose reasons of coming to this profession is poverty have more chance of drug affecting by male colleague of smuggling and the smugglers who exercise unsafe sex have more chance of drug affecting by Indian track driver as against their counterparts. In the light of the present study, it is strongly recommended that enhancing education with community based health related educational program through mass media, avoiding unsafe sex with increasing the effective use of condom, stopping the sexual harassment or sexually abused through smuggling and the influence to take drugs by their male colleagues, Indian track drivers or others in the profession, empowering the female smugglers and poverty reduction strategy are essential for reducing the vulnerability to HIV infection as well as for stopping smuggling among female smugglers in Hilli port, Bangladesh. Hopefully, this study would be very helpful for policy makers, program designers/planners to design or redesign program(s) or existing program(s) considering the identified risk factors.