A Cross-Sectional Survey of Health, Safety, and Digital Engagement Among Truckers: Priorities for Behavior Change and Mobile Health Interventions
1
Programme, Plan International (India Chapter), Delhi, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A3731
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
India’s commitment to end AIDS by 2030 under the 95–95–95 FastTrack targets requires focused action among high-risk populations. Long-distance truckers exhibit HIV prevalence 1.00% (95% CI: 0.78-1.21) nearly five times the national average. Plan India carried out a needs assessment survey to enable precision programming and inform a user-centric mobile health platform.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional needs assessment was conducted among truckers and allied workers registered under Plan India’s One Stop Centre (OSC) interventions. Stratified random sampling was applied, with OSC locations as strata and systematic random selection within sites. A total of 502 respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, and descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. The data was analyzed using SPSS.
RESULTS:
A cross-sectional assessment of 502 truckers revealed critical insights across sexual health, substance use, road safety, and digital engagement. Sexual health awareness was moderate, with 73.7% of total respondents were aware of STI/HIV; and more than 90% short-distance drivers were aware, but declined among older and long-route drivers. Substance use was widespread at 90.4%. 26.5% reported frequent use, especially among long-route, lower-educated, and mid-income drivers. Health burden correlated with substance use, particularly among drivers with ≥5 health conditions. Lower income and education were linked to higher health burdens (p < 0.001; p ≈ 0.05). Road safety awareness was high at 90.8%, yet training gaps persisted.
CONCLUSIONS:
The assessment highlights that truckers face significant health and safety vulnerabilities, including moderate sexual health awareness, widespread substance use, and gaps in road safety training. Older and long-route drivers are particularly at risk, while those with multiple health conditions are more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Based on these findings Plan India has developed a digital platform to offer a scalable opportunity to improve truckers’ health, safety, wellbeing across diverse routes and demographic groups.
India’s commitment to end AIDS by 2030 under the 95–95–95 FastTrack targets requires focused action among high-risk populations. Long-distance truckers exhibit HIV prevalence 1.00% (95% CI: 0.78-1.21) nearly five times the national average. Plan India carried out a needs assessment survey to enable precision programming and inform a user-centric mobile health platform.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional needs assessment was conducted among truckers and allied workers registered under Plan India’s One Stop Centre (OSC) interventions. Stratified random sampling was applied, with OSC locations as strata and systematic random selection within sites. A total of 502 respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire, and descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. The data was analyzed using SPSS.
RESULTS:
A cross-sectional assessment of 502 truckers revealed critical insights across sexual health, substance use, road safety, and digital engagement. Sexual health awareness was moderate, with 73.7% of total respondents were aware of STI/HIV; and more than 90% short-distance drivers were aware, but declined among older and long-route drivers. Substance use was widespread at 90.4%. 26.5% reported frequent use, especially among long-route, lower-educated, and mid-income drivers. Health burden correlated with substance use, particularly among drivers with ≥5 health conditions. Lower income and education were linked to higher health burdens (p < 0.001; p ≈ 0.05). Road safety awareness was high at 90.8%, yet training gaps persisted.
CONCLUSIONS:
The assessment highlights that truckers face significant health and safety vulnerabilities, including moderate sexual health awareness, widespread substance use, and gaps in road safety training. Older and long-route drivers are particularly at risk, while those with multiple health conditions are more likely to engage in risky behaviors. Based on these findings Plan India has developed a digital platform to offer a scalable opportunity to improve truckers’ health, safety, wellbeing across diverse routes and demographic groups.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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