Bridging the Gap: Conference Record [Abstract book, International Conference on AIDS (12th: 1998: Geneva, Switzerland)]

176 Abstracts 13448-13453

12th World AIDS Conference

interventions for occupational groups such as truckers. The support and involvement of company management is likewise essential in generating the participation
of truckers in project activities, and in multiplying and expanding the reach of the
project.
13448 Returning to work when you are on triple therapy:
The reality
Yves Jalbert, R. Masson. 'COCQ-SIDA, 4205 rue Saint-denis Bureau 320
Montreal H2J2K9, Canada
Objectives: To document the barriers faced by the people living with HIV who
are on triple therapy and who want to return to work.
Design: Self complete questionnaires distributed to the people living with HIV
in the province of Quebec in Canada.
Methods: From a survey launched in two waves, one in september 1997
across the AIDS community based organisations and the other in january 1998
across the health and social services of the province of Quebec we wanted to
reach people who are HIV positive.
Results: From the first wave, we received 418 questionnaires (361 men and
57 women), 82% are aged under 45, 69% live in Montreal, 35% have a HIV
status history of 5 to 10 years, 70% are on triple therapy, 14% work, 65% are on
welfare, 34% desire to return to work, 71% benefit the medication insurance of
the government, 56% don't have problem to pay their medication, 87% believe
that the employer should gave AIDS session in the workplace to their employees.
In our sample, women are younger than men, live in Montreal, have a HIV status
history of 1 to 3 years, don't work, don't have a collective insurance and want to
work more than men participants. The barriers against returning to work are the
following: being monoparental, having children or a seropositive child. Amongst
the respondants who work, 3 persons out of 4 are on triple therapy, 54% live
in Montreal, 85% are under 45 years, 73% have a HIV status history of under
10 years, 75% are on triple therapy, none of them quit their treatment, 34%
have some problem to pay their medication. Fourty-nine pourcent had disclosed
their serostatus to their employer; from those, 1 person out of 5 reported having
problem with their employer.
Conclusion: From our sample, 11% don't use medication because they are
afraid to be identified in the workplace, afraid to be disclosed by the insurance
company, afraid to lose their job, afraid of the triple therapy or prefere to wait
and see the evolution of the effects of new therapies. The barriers identified by
the respondants against returning to work are: a) social, family, economic and
individual and b) training, health and workplace. But the major barrier is the health
status. The complete results of this survey will be communicated during the 12th
World AIDS Conference in Geneva.
S13449 AIDS and workplace: Cognitive models and learning
models in a group of opinion leaders
Paolo Deluca1, G. Deluca2. 1Lancaster University Dept of Psychology,
Lancaster, UK; 2Cooperativa Marcella, Lurago Marinone, Italy
Aims: The findings of an extensive research are presented. The research goal
was to investigate modalities through which a group of trade union representatives
and opinion leaders learned the issues related to AIDS and the workplace.
Methods: 524 trade union representatives were contacted through a structured
questionnaire composed of 12 items. The questionnaire was self administered.
Data were elaborated through the statistical package SPSS. The chi-square
analysis was performed and the standard deviation was calculated.
Results: Findings underline that there are three models of knowledge and
learning: mediatic (media based), interpersonal and scientific. The authors present
and discuss the above mentioned models and suggest proposals on counselling
typologies for workers.
This study is part of a much wider programme on prevention of drug addiction and HIV in the workplace, called Euridice. Euridice poses in the workplace
activities of research, information, training, help, and assessment of the programmes in action and promotes social dialogue and cooperation among the
social partners.
It has a European dimension and is supported by the EC. It is also monitored
by a supranational organisation composed by the of World Health Organization,
the Council of Europe, the International Labour Office, the European Trade Union
Confederation.
A lifelong learning for opinion leaders on HIV in the workplace should be
multi-integrated in order to promote effective typologies of counselling.
S13450 HIV/AIDS in the workplace: A Philippine situationer
Ma. Teresita Cucueco. Occupationa Safety and Health Center North Avenue
Cor. Science Road Diliman, Quezon City Philippines, Philippines
Background: To determine the response of Philippine enterprise to the HIV/AIDS
problem, this study surveyed selected establishments in the Philippines with

existing STD/HIV/AIDS programs, activity an or policy. The survey starts on a
national database on HIV/AIDS and STD programs in the workplace in order to
prioritize future interventions.
Methods: A two-part self-administered questionnaire was developed to elicit
the following information from each respondent-company: profile and data on
workplace programs on STD/HIV/AIDS. These were mailed to the top 1,700
corporations in the Philippines. Focus group Discussions with leading workers

organization and employer's association were conducted to compliment the data
from the questionnaires.
Results: Of the 166 companies which responded, 95% were from private enterprises; a male workforce predominating. Rank and file employees comprise the
majority and most of companies have affiliations with labor unions or professional
organizations. A quarter (26%) of the companies have an HIV/AIDS program or
activity in the workplace. The reason why 75% of companies does not have a
program is the lack of priority given to SID/HIV. A large percentage do not require
testing for HIV/AIDS, however 27 companies stated they will not employed HIV(+).
Conclusion: There is an urgent need for an increased awareness and information on HIV/AIDS and STD in the workplace to overcome misconceptions on
the employment of HIV(+) and the mandatory testing of employees.
S13451 Workplace intervention in trucking industry
Bilal Ahmad. Post Box No. 10516 Jawaharlal Nehru Univercity New
Delhi- 110067, India
Issue: Awareness and orientation on HIV/AIDS/STD related issues at workplaces
without disturbing the routine activities.
Project: The project was the first of its kind launched at Delhi-UP border, the
largest transhipment area in the country. Activities: (1) Rapport was made with
the top management of the 5 major locally existing transport companies. (2)
Two educators were selected from the five companies. (3) The educators were
trained in STD/HIV/AIDS issues. (4) 15 awareness meetings were held involving
all grades of staff, truckers and local community. (5) Posters and leaflets were
distributed, messages were painted on the walls. (6) Pots containing condoms for
free distribution were placed at 6 convenient spots within the office complex (7)
Referral system for STD cases was established involving the local health facility.
Results: Many of the transport company owners/managers who have been
sensitised acknowledged that they understand the urgent need for implementing
the awareness/intervention programs in their companies and they are providing
the resources needed to implement the program.
Conclusion: Workplace intervention for the prevention of HIV/AIDS/STD's is
the first approach of its kind in India. It is important to sustain this particular
intervention and start more such interventions in the other transhipment sites of
the country with the help of advocacy at the National/International level.
S13452 | Truck drivers in Brazil: Prevalence of HIV and other STDs,
risk behavior, and potential for spread of infection
Regina Lacerda1, N. Gravato1, W. McFarland2, G. Rutherford2, K. Iskrant2,
R. Stall2, N. Hearst2. 1Nucleo De Educacao E Prevencao-DST/AIDS Praca Rui
Barbos A, 23-40 Andar, Santos, SP; 2UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies
San Franciso CA, USA
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of HIV and syphilis and related risk
behavior in a sample of truck drivers in Santos, Brazil.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed of 300 male truck drivers
recruited in the port of Santos, Brazil, including a face-to-face interview and blood
sampling for HIV and syphilis serology.
Results: Of 300 subjects, 4 (1.3%) were positive for HIV, 25 (8.3%) for syphilis
by the Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test and 38 (13%) were
positive for syphilis by the fluorescent treponemal antibody (absorbed) test (FTAAbs). Seventy-one per cent had been employed as truck drivers for more than 10
years and 93% lived outside of Santos. Most participants were married (72%);
40% reported having more than one sex partner; 21% reported sex with commercial sex workers; 14% reported sex with "girls" that they met on the road; 16% had
sex with other men's wives; and 3.3% reported sex with men during the past year.
The use of rebite, an oral stimulant, was reported by 43% and was associated
with being FTA-Abs-positive (P = 0.04). Being HIV-positive was associated with
having sex with "friends" (P = 0.04), partners usually considered "safe" by truck
drivers. Being syphilis-positive (VDRL) was significantly associated with sex with
partners also considered as 'safe', namely primary sex partners, steady partners
and other men's wives.
Conclusions: This is the first study to determine HIV and syphilis seroprevalence among truck drivers in South America. Findings confirm that this group has
a high potential risk for HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases, and
thus currently presents an opportunity for prevention.
13453 The Philippine response to a comprehensive workplace
policy on STD/HIV/AIDS
Dulce Gust. Occupational Safety & Health Center, North Ave. cor. Science Rd.
Diliman Q.C., Philippines
Issue: early efforts of some government and non-government organizations on
STD/HIV/AIDS prevention had been seen in certain enterprises and in predaparture seminars given by both government and private companies to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Yet, majority of implementors have voiced out the

seeming lack of sustainability in their efforts.
Project: In 1997, the European Union and implementors of the Department
of Labor and Employment (DOLE) embarked on a joint project to address the
issues confronting quality implementation. In September 1997 after preparatory
consultations, a landmark achievement was effected by the DOLE together with
workers and employers when a national comprehensive policy on STD/HIV/AIDS
was signed by representatives from these sectors.