HIV Rates and Risk Behaviors Are Low in the General Population of Men in Southern India but High in Alcohol Venues

Abstract

As the HIV epidemic continues to expand in India, empiric data are needed to determine the course of the epidemic for high-risk populations and the general population. Two probability surveys were conducted in Chennai slums among a household sample of men and alcohol venue patrons ("wine shops") to compare HIV and other sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevalence and to identify STD behavioral risk factors. The wine shop sample (n = 654) had higher rates of HIV and prevalent STDs (HIV, herpes simplex virus 2 [HSV-2], syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia) compared with the household sample (n = 685) (3.4% vs. 1.2%, P = 0.007 and 21.6% vs. 11.8%, P < 0.0001, respectively). High-risk behaviors in the household sample was rare (<4%), but 69.6% of wine shop patrons had >2 partners, 58.4% had unprotected sex with a casual partner, and 54.1% had exchanged sex for money in the past 3 months. A multivariate model found that older age, ever being married, ever being tested for HIV, and having unprotected sex in the past 3 months were associated with STD prevalence in wine shop patrons. Prevalent HIV and STDs, and sexual risk behaviors are relatively low among the general population of men. We found that men who frequent alcohol venues practice high-risk behaviors and have high rates of STDs, including HIV, and may play an important role in expanding the Indian epidemic.