Vulnerability in Motion: Socio-Economic and Service-Seeking Determinants of HIV Risk among Truckers and Migrants in India
1
Programme, Plan International (India Chapter), Delhi, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A644
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Although overall adult HIV prevalence in India is low, it is five times higher among long-distance truckers (1.00%; 95% CI: 0.78–1.21). Truckers and migrant workers are critical bridge populations for HIV transmission in India, shaped by high mobility and structural vulnerability. To complement India’s National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) goals, Plan India implemented One Stop Project (OSC) in 15 states.
METHODS:
Expanding health service coverage, creating an enabling environment to reduce stigma and discrimination; and strengthening community empowerment through awareness, skill development and social protection linkages were the primary intervention areas. Programme data from October 2022 to December 2025 were analysed using SPSS.
RESULTS:
Between October 2022 and December 2025, 179,389 truckers and migrant clients were registered with a mean age of 34 years. HIV positivity was significantly higher among unmarried, separated, or divorced clients compared to married clients (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.99–2.76; p < 0.001). Clients with college or higher education had higher odds of HIV positivity compared to those with education up to higher secondary or less (OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.41–2.40; p < 0.001). Daily-wage earners, students, and unemployed clients were more likely to test HIV positive than salaried workers (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.13–1.64; p = 0.001). Clients accessing facility-based services had more than twice the odds of testing HIV positive compared to those reached through hotspot or site-level outreach (OR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.89–2.99; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
HIV risk among truckers and migrant workers is shaped by socio-economic vulnerability and service-seeking pathways, with facilities detecting a higher-risk subset and decentralized outreach achieving broader coverage. These findings support differentiated service delivery that integrates socio-economic risk profiling, targeted testing, and mobility-responsive outreach with strengthened facility-level case detection and embedded social protection support.
Although overall adult HIV prevalence in India is low, it is five times higher among long-distance truckers (1.00%; 95% CI: 0.78–1.21). Truckers and migrant workers are critical bridge populations for HIV transmission in India, shaped by high mobility and structural vulnerability. To complement India’s National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) goals, Plan India implemented One Stop Project (OSC) in 15 states.
METHODS:
Expanding health service coverage, creating an enabling environment to reduce stigma and discrimination; and strengthening community empowerment through awareness, skill development and social protection linkages were the primary intervention areas. Programme data from October 2022 to December 2025 were analysed using SPSS.
RESULTS:
Between October 2022 and December 2025, 179,389 truckers and migrant clients were registered with a mean age of 34 years. HIV positivity was significantly higher among unmarried, separated, or divorced clients compared to married clients (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.99–2.76; p < 0.001). Clients with college or higher education had higher odds of HIV positivity compared to those with education up to higher secondary or less (OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.41–2.40; p < 0.001). Daily-wage earners, students, and unemployed clients were more likely to test HIV positive than salaried workers (OR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.13–1.64; p = 0.001). Clients accessing facility-based services had more than twice the odds of testing HIV positive compared to those reached through hotspot or site-level outreach (OR = 2.38; 95% CI: 1.89–2.99; p < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS:
HIV risk among truckers and migrant workers is shaped by socio-economic vulnerability and service-seeking pathways, with facilities detecting a higher-risk subset and decentralized outreach achieving broader coverage. These findings support differentiated service delivery that integrates socio-economic risk profiling, targeted testing, and mobility-responsive outreach with strengthened facility-level case detection and embedded social protection support.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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