Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Little is known about the effect of the social environment on HIV risk in gay men in northern Vietnam, particularly in rural areas.
This qualitative research study conducted 4 key informant interviews and 30 in-depth interviews of men in two northern Vietnamese cities: Hanoi, a large city, and Thai Nguyen, a smaller town. Hanoi has experienced a growth in the number of places where gay men can socialize, access HIV prevention services, and discuss health issues.
Thai Nguyen lacks these open venues. However, homosexuality is still highly stigmatized in the general population in both cities. This stigma affects the number of partners and level of sexual risk of participants. Also, men generally reported little communication between partners about sexual risk. While stigma in the general community is difficult to change, social environments where gay men can openly communicate creates an opportunity for HIV prevention and social support.
Most of the research on social environment and HIV risk has been conducted in western countries. Homosexuality is legal in Vietnam, but MSM in the country face other barriers.
Stigma is interpersonal; it occurs between people, and in daily forms of social interaction Yang et al. HIV prevention programs, public officials and media reports about the epidemic ignore homosexuality Colby et al.
