General Population Survey 2006-2010

The General Population Survey (GPS) was conducted by the Centre hospitalier affilie universitaire de Quebec (CHA) and its partners as part of the CHARME Project under an Avahan monitoring and evaluation (M&E) grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The major goal of the project is to study HIV transmission dynamics among and between core, bridge and general population groups and to assess the impact of HIV preventive interventions using a combination of mathematical modelling and empirical data. In order to facilitate the mathematical modelling, the CHARME Project collected data on sexual behavior through serial cross-sectional surveys of general populations in four districts in the state of Karnataka: Mysore (2006), Bellary (2007-08), Bagalkot (2009) and two survey rounds in Belgaum (2007 and 2010). The survey in Bagalkot was a follow-up to a pre-Avahan survey using the same methodology. The main objectives of the GPS were: To provide data on key sexual behaviors among the adult male and female general population in the age group 15-49 years. Secondly, to provide data on the prevalence of STIs and HIV among the adult male and female general population in the age group 15-49 years. Thirdly, to verify responses about sexual behavior by conducting anonymous polling booth surveys in a sample of men and women of the same age in the district.