Prevalence and risk factors for HIV infection in truck drivers: a systematic review of global evidence

Transporting and driving long distances might be associated with an increased risk of contracting HIV in truck drivers, which is recognized as a link to network transmission of HIV among this population. The present study aims to systematically review the prevalence and risk factors of HIV infection in truck drivers globally. A comprehensive search of the databases of Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was carried out. The original papers reporting statistics on the prevalence and risk factors of HIV infection among truck drivers were included. In this study, 23 original articles that met the eligibility criteria were reviewed. All articles were cross-sectional studies in which a total number of 16,315 truck drivers were studied to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of HIV infection. Findings indicated high HIV seroprevalence among truck drivers, with the highest prevalence of 56% in South Africa. HIV/AIDS awareness and condom use among truckers were reported low. Having sex with other men, circumcision status, time away from home, marital status, years working as a truck driver, education, income, and drug/alcohol use are the most important risk factors for HIV in truck drivers. Longer time on the road can increase the risk of infection by creating conditions for unsafe sex, in particular, having sex with other men. Low socioeconomic status exacerbates the condition. HIV risk-reduction interventions for long-distance truck drivers are necessary to enhance the awareness of sexually transmitted infections and introduce protective measures such as condoms.