Socio-Demographic Profile and Risky Behavior Pattern of Patients Registered at Art Centre, Patiala, Punjab

Abstract

Background: The HIV epidemic in India shows declining trend overall. After the start of free ART treatment in 2003, ART centres are increasing in phased manner in the country, which transformed the common perception about HIV from being a “virtual death sentence” to a “chronic manageable illness. Objectives: To study the Socio-demographic characteristics and risky behaviour pattern of the patients registered at ART centre. Materials and Methods: A record based retrospective analysis of 548 patients, at ART centre Govt. Rajindra Hospital, Patiala. Results: Most patients falls in age group of 30-39 years with median age of 37 years, males (63.87%) and females (36.13%); 72.45% patients were married. 40.15% were illiterate followed by primary (34.67%), secondary (20.44%), college& above (4.74%). Patients from rural background were (69.71%). More than half the patients were employed (55.11%), followed by unemployed (21.53%), house wife (17.52%) and students /children (5.84 %.). Among employed, farmer constituted (16.42%), construction worker (13.87%) and driver (11.31%). Among drivers, 42% were truckers.Majority of patients (87.41%) were referred from VCTC. The most common route of transmission of HIV was heterosexual route (58.03%). Conclusion: Low socioeconomic status and high risk behaviours have been found to be significantly associated with HIV infection.

Keywords

• ART
• HIV
• Heterosexual