Kanjilal B, Forsythe S; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 976 (abstract no. 541/44200).
IIHMR, Jaipur, India.
OBJECTIVE: To assess ways in which India's trucking industry will be affected by the country's rapidly expanding HIV/AIDS epidemic. METHODOLOGY: A set of hypotheses regarding the industry's vulnerability and areas of likely impact were tested using 7 survey instruments. These surveys were conducted with truck owners, truck drivers, and industry stakeholders to assess the impact incurred when introducing the external shock of HIV/AIDS, and to assess coping mechanisms that were likely to be pursued. RESULTS: Modelling exercises revealed that the prevalence of HIV among truck drivers may be as much as 10 times higher than in the general adult Indian population. Interviews with industry leaders and stakeholders revealed that there are a number of critical trends that are occurring within India's trucking industry, including the shortage of skilled drivers. Within the context of these trends, AIDS is being introduced as an external shock which may affect the viability of the trucking industry. The analysis indicated that the loss of productivity of drivers is likely to force some companies to forfeit significant revenues, leading to an exit from the market. Meanwhile the cost of maintaining existing levels of death benefits is expected to overwhelm many businesses if maintained at current levels. It was also determined that small companies were less capable of responding to the epidemic, and therefore AIDS would result in a greater negative impact on these businesses. AIDS among truckers is also likely to have a negative impact on many of the stakeholders who rely on the trucking industry, especially the insurance and finance companies. CONCLUSION: Few trucking companies have prepared for the impact of AIDS. There is a concern that the industry may pursue policies that could harm the viability and reputation of the industry. Such policies could include eliminating benefits for truckers and/or performing mandatory HIV testing. Conversely, the industry still has the opportunity to prepare itself to mitigate the impact of AIDS through such proactive responses as initiating workplace prevention programmes and establishing policies regarding workers infected with HIV.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Adult
- Commerce
- Data Collection
- Disease Outbreaks
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- India
- Industry
- Occupations
- Organizations
- Prevalence
- Public Policy
Other ID:
UI: 102231833
From Meeting Abstracts