A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Self-Instructional Module on Knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS among Barbers in Selected Saloons of Haridwar

Health was defined as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus (a member of the retrovirus family) that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to lifethreatening opportunistic infections. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infects immune cells. The four major routes of transmission are unsafe sex, contaminated needles, breast milk, and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth (perinatal transmission). Screening of blood products for HIV has largely eliminated transmission through blood transfusions or infected blood products in the developed world. 

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) the agent responsible for causing AIDS is known to be transmitted from one person to another through the use of non-sterile needles, syringes and other skin piercing equipment such as blades and scissors. Proper sterilization of all such instruments is therefore important in order to prevent HIV transmission. Fortunately, HIV is very sensitive to standard methods of sterilization. However, barber’s shop is a place where there is frequent use of the same blade, trimmers and scissors, often without proper sterilization or disinfection. The use of these sharp instruments may represent an HIV hazard to the general population due to skin piercing injuries. In India, two types of barber shops are available; one is the road side barber where there is no proper infrastructure and other is an enclosed shop. Hence the present study was carried out to assess the awareness and reported practices of barbers with respect to HIV and also to see if there were any differences based on the type of shop.