No abstract

Background: HIV prevalence in Bangladesh is low (<1%) among the general population, even within the vulnerable population it continued to be low other than certain sections of injecting drug users.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the Polly Chikitsok/rural medical practitioners in Hobiganj, Narayanganj, Rangpur and Kurigram District of Bangladesh during January 2014 to April 2014. One hundred eighty (180) Polly chikitsok/rural medical practitioners were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. Purposive sampling technique was used. Statistical analysis of the results was done by using computer software SPSS version 22 with tabulation plan. The ethical committee of the department of public health, Daffodil International University of Bangladesh, approved the thesis with their signature.Results: A total of 180 participants were interviewed, of whom 176 were males and 4 were females. 17.8 percent of the respondents are of 21-30 years of age, 37 percent respondents are 31-40 years old. 27.8 percent of the study participants were in their 41-50. Hundred percent respondents, they had ever met any HIV positive patient in the course of their occupational responsibility in the workplace. 97.8 percent respondents correctly knew blood transfusions transmit HIV/AIDS, followed by sharing needles (98.3 percent), and maternal child transmission (68.9 percent). However, more than two thirds of the respondents (77.8 percent) correctly identified HIV/AIDS preventive measures. Nearly half the sampled population (84.4 percent) did not think condoms were useful in preventing transmission of HIV.Conclusions: In Bangladesh, the prevalence of HIV infection is growing and PC/RMPs are increasingly involved in a range of HIV prevention and care activities.