High-risk motorcycle taxi drivers in the HIV/AIDS era: a respondent-driven sampling survey in Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

We evaluated motorcycle taxi (‘boda-boda’) drivers in Kampala for the prevalence of HIV/sexually transmitted infections. We used respondent-driven sampling to recruit a cross-sectional sample of boda-boda drivers. We collected data through audio computer-assisted self-administered interviews. Men were tested for HIV, syphilis serology using Rapid Plasma Reagin and enzyme immunoassay, and Chlamydia and gonorrhoea using urine polymerase chain reaction. We recruited 683 men. Median age was 26 years; 59.4% were single. The prevalence of HIV was 7.5% (95% CI 5.2–10.0), of positive syphilis serology was 6.1% (95% CI 4.3–8.1), of Chlamydia was 1.1% (95% CI 0.4–2.0), and of gonorrhoea was 1.2% (95% CI 0.1–1.2). Many men (67.8%) had both casual and regular partners, sex with other men (8.7%), and commercial sex (33.1%). Factors associated with having HIV included reporting a genital ulcer (odds ratio [OR] =2.4, 95% CI 1.4–4.4), drinking alcohol during last sex (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.7), having 4–6 lifetime partners (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0–4.8), and having one’s last female partner be >24 years of age (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2–6.6). Independent predictors of HIV included age ≥31 (adjusted OR (aOR) 5.8, 95% CI 1.5–48.5), having 4–6 partners (aOR 2.2, 95%CI 1.0–5.1), and self-report of a genital ulcer (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2–4.1). Only 39.2% of men were circumcised, and 36.9% had been HIV tested in the past. Male boda-boda drivers have a higher prevalence of HIV than the general population, and low frequency of preventive behaviours, such as circumcision and HIV testing. Targeted and intensified interventions for this group are warranted.