Profile characteristics of migrants, especially occupation and HIV status, accessing targeted interventions in Mumbai and Thane in India

Abstract

Introduction: Under National AIDS Control Program IV (NACP IV) during 2012-2017 in India, human immu nodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention strategies under targeted intervention (TI) programs for migrants of different profiles were uniform. Role of the profile of migrants, especially their occupation, in the spread of HIV epidemic was not well-explored. The present study investigated the linkages between profile characteristics and occupations with HIV infection status of the migrants in Mumbai and Thane in Maharashtra, India. Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study conducted among 24,864 migrants (males 23,908, 96.1%, and females 956, 3.9%) covered under the TI programs implemented in Mumbai and Thane districts of Maharashtra, India from April to December 2016. SPSS 20.0 version was used for analysis. At 95% confidence interval, χ 2 test, Fishers exact test, and multiple logistic regression model were used for finding out factors associated with HIV infection status. Results: Among the females, HIV infection rates were 4.4% and 1.3% in Mumbai and Thane, respectively, whereas for males, it was 0.3% in both the places. Predictors of HIV infection status in Mumbai were gender and type of persons staying with the migrant at the residence. For Thane, apart from these two, accompanying person during mobility played a certain role. In Thane, occupation in small to medium scale industry was the predictor of HIV infection but not in Mumbai. Conclusions: Additional strategies for migrant intervention program had been left out in opportunities for NACP in India. We recommend that special strategies need to be developed in NACP to address these predictors of HIV infection.