Factors for Sexual Risky Behaviors Among Taxi Drivers and Their Assistants in Addis Ababa

Background: The application of efficient and effective HIV/AIDS prevention demands understanding of sexual behaviors and factors of the population in question.   

Objective:-To examine sexual risky behaviors and factors for adopting HIV/AIDS preventive behaviors among male Taxi drivers and assistants in Addis Ababa.  

Methodology:-The study was cross-sectional by design and conducted in April 2006. A multistage cluster sampling procedure was applied to select 615 individuals for interview.

Results:- About 13% of Taxi drivers and assistances were unfaithful for their spouse/steady partners. Nearly 30.7% of them had reported casual sex. Of these, 6.9% did not use condom with their most recent casual sex encountered. About 44% and 17% encountered condom breakage/slippage and had sex with casual partners during menstruating, respectively. About 11% had experienced sex with female commercial sex workers. The odds’ of never having sex was nearly 2 times higher among respondents who were living with their kinships as compared to those who lived alone. Khat chewers were 50% less likely than non-chewers to report abstinence. Working as a driver along market areas were 70% less likely than working in non-market areas to report abstinence. Respondents who worked as assistant of drivers were 80% less likely to report abstinence as compared to taxi drivers. Earning lowest income was less likely than earning more income to demonstrate faithfulness. Having 1-5 years of experiences in Taxi was nearly 5 times more likely than having <1 year to report faithfulness. The odds’ of condom use efficacy in faithfulness was about 90% less likely as compared to others.      

Conclusion:-This study provides useful information on specific target groups and their risks in HIV. Level of risky behaviors and factors were identified. So this calls for a robust and targeted IEC/BCC intervention.   

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