Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey among Wives of Migrant Laborers in Four Districts of Far-Western Regions of Nepal Round I -2008

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY : This report presents the findings of the first round of the Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance Survey (IBBS) of wives of migrant laborers in West to Far-Western Nepal. This study is based on surveys of 400 spouses of those migrant laborers in the four districts of Achham, Doti, Kanchanpur, and Kailali who temporarily migrate or had migrated to India to work as laborers. The survey was conducted among the wives or widows of current or ex- labor migrants to India aged 16 years or over, whose spouse had spent at least three months in India and who had retuned to Nepal at least once in the last three years. The survey measured the prevalence of HIV among the study population. It also looked at multiple factors associated with risks for HIV infection, including condom use, sexual behavior, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), STI treatment history, exposure to HIV/AIDS awareness messages, and alcohol/drug use habits.