Socio-demographic characteristics of hiv/aids patients visiting art centres of western India

Background: At the beginning of pandemic of HIV, it’s prevalence had been extremely dominated by male patients, but afterward this gender gape diminished very fast. In India disease is not generalised but seen in some high risk group like drivers, labourers etc. Our studied area, i.e. Gujarat state contains big amount of migratory labourer from other states of India. Material &Method: Total 1261 HIV positive patients were included in the study out of which 961 (T group) were with complaints of secondary respiratory tract infections and 300(C2 group) HIV patients without RTI at the time of their interview who were coming to ART centre for treatment. The NACO guidelines for diagnosis of HIV were followed. For these patients a preformed questionnaire was made to enquire about socio-demographic characteristics. Results: The total male patients (59.00%) outnumbered the female patients (40.93%) with even one TG/TS patient (0.07%). Maximum number of males (56.91%) as well as females (57.82%) was in the age group of 25-44 years. Age of the patients ranged between 0-75 years but the mean age was found to be 33.94+9. 54 years. The most common route of transmission was found to be heterosexual in 81.68% patients followed by mother to child in 10.31% and 4.44% patients had given a history of blood transfusion. Majority of group C2 patients presented with fever (44.73%) and loss of weight (47.91%). Conclusion: Among studied 1261 HIV-infected patients, highest patients been noted as 628(49.84%) migratory labourer. Most of the affected population was from lower socioeconomic class, either illiterate or had education up to primary school & belonged to reproductive age group i.e. 15-44 years which increases the economic burden & affects the overall development of the family, community and country. Marital life itself becomes a risk factor for those women who get infected by their HIV positive spouse.