FRONTIERS Projects | Increasing Use of Dual Protection by Rickshaw Pullers in Bangladesh

FRONTIERS PROJECT
Increasing Use of Dual Protection by Rickshaw Pullers in Bangladesh

FRONTIERS worked with the NGO Service Delivery Program (NSDP) and the Associates for Community and Population Research to increase the awareness among rickshaw pullers and their families of the health risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, and the benefits of using condoms for dual protection from STIs and pregnancy. The project tested the relative effectiveness of two strategies for delivering information and services—providing reproductive health education at rickshaw garages and providing reproductive health education with improved access to condoms—against a control site.

Over 5,000 rickshaw pullers attended at least one educational session. Men who received the reproductive health education showed significant increases in knowledge relative to the control sites, with a greater increase—as well as increased condom use—in sites that received the combined intervention. However, risky behavior (extramarital sex) increased in all three groups. NSDP is expanding project activities in 35 urban clinics, and 80,000 rickshaw pullers will be educated over the next six months. Senior NGO officials and master trainers have been identified and trained. All participating clinics have introduced community condom distributors, and educational materials on condoms and vasectomy have been distributed throughout the project area.

Location

Bangladesh

Duration

October 2004–June 2006

Population Council researchers

Ismat Bhuiya, Ubaidur Rob

Non-Council collaborators

Associates for Community and Population Research (ACPR)

NGO Service Delivery Program (NSDP)

Donor

US Agency for International Development

Publications/Resources
Council researchers' names appear in boldface type.

2007
Bhuiya, Ismat, Mizanur Rahman, Ubaidur Rob, M.E. Khan, and Zahiduzzaman. "Increasing dual protection among rickshaw pullers in Bangladesh," FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 1.3 MB)