Knowledge and Awareness of HIV/AIDS of Rickshaw Pullers in Butwal Municipality

Abstract

The study on knowledge and awareness of HIV/AIDS among the rickshaw pullers of Butwal Municipality was carried out by using primary data collected from different places of Butwal. The main objective of this study is to analyze the existing level of knowledge and awareness among rickshaw pullers about the mode of transmission and method of prevention of AIDS. It has attempted to explore and reflect the situation of Rickshaw puller who is in the risky occupational group. The main tool applied in this study is questionnaire. Different books,magazines, research papers were studied to prepare the questionnaire. After the preparation of questionnaire, suggestions and comments were sought from supervisor. Other method like observation and interview with key informants were conducted. The total population is 150 and all are males. The purposive sampling technique was used to select the study area and samples of 150 respondents most of the respondent are married and majority of the respondent of age group20-25 majority of the respondent were Brahmin/Chhetri followed by Tharu.Regarding their educational status these was a majority of literate people.Although income from rickshaw pullers is not sufficient or just sufficient most of them doing their job for more then 5 years many of the respondents bad their house and land at origin. Regarding the knowledge on HIV/AIDS 18 percent of then had never knowledge about AIDS and we found Tharu people have very little knowledge about it. F.M Radio was the most cited sources of knowledge followed by friends. The over all knowledge on HIV/AIDS was found to be not less although misconception regarding the non sexual transmission routes still high both in literate and illiterate respondents misperception regarding the mode of transmission by mosquito bites seemed to be some of them believe there is medicine for the treatment of this disease. Regarding the commercial sex most of them (68%) told they have not had sex with commercial sex workers on the reply of question 32 percent to ldto use condom during intercourse, 30 percent told not to have sex with many partners, 10 percent replied not to have sex at all preventing AIDS transmission. Misconception regarding the mode of transmission was high in both illiterate and literate respondents. 5 Many respondents think the AIDS us curable and have medicine for it.