HIV SEROPREVALENCE AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULT MALES IN INDIA: A LARGE COMMUNITY BASED EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY.

A large number of HIV seroprevalence studies have been conducted on the high-risk groups. However there seems to be a paucity of such studies undertaken in the general population. This study was directed towards the adolescents and young Indian male adults. A representative samples of 19,436 were tested, out of which nine were positive for HIV, thereby giving a HIV seroprevalence rate of 0.46 per 1000 with a clustering of the positive subjects towards the North East of India followed by the Southern states. Those from the North East were younger than those from the South. This calls for a targeted information, education and communication (IEC) programme aimed at the younger group in the East with known greater risk potential for intravenous drug abuse, and older adults in the South. The study also provides an insight for HIV/AIDS mapping and possible future direction of the epidemic in India.