HIV-1 infection in relation to educational status, use of hypodermic injections and other risk behaviours in Ethiopian sailors.

Information on the prevalence and risk factors for HIV infection among sailors is generally scarce. The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence and risk factors for HIV-1 infection among sailors in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in a population of sailors identified from their employment records. Two hundred and sixty sailors were personally interviewed to obtain information on risk factors. Blood samples were collected for the determination of antibodies against HIV-1 infection by ELISA with confirmation by Western blot. The prevalence of HIV-1 infection was 9.6% and the prevalence was observed to decrease with increasing level of education. The risk of acquiring infection was also found to increase with the use of hypodermic injections (OR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.19 to 9.80). Fourteen percent of the studied population reported condom use. However, the use was irregular. We did not find marital status and consumption of alcohol to be associated with HIV-1 infection. The high prevalence of HIV-1 infection in this population is alarming. Specific education programmes targeted to this group need to be established in order to reduce the increasing risk of infection in this population and the spread of infection to other segments of the population.