Abstract
Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV in Vietnam. Regardless of international and national agencies’ efforts, the HIV epidemic in MSM has been increasing in recent years. Novel and evidence-based HIV antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) maybe needed to combat the HIV epidemic among this population in Vietnam. This study aims to identify how MSM accept the use of PrEP as an HIV prevention method and their ability to pay for it. Method: This is a cross-sectional study of 373 MSM seeking HIV testing in a community-based HIV clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from January to April 2016. Potential participants were briefly informed about ethical considerations, screened for eligibility, and signed an informed consent form when selected. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by the clinic’s staff. Descriptive and analytical analysis was performed by STATA 13.0. Results: Of 373 participants, only 92 men (24.7%) reported having known about PrEP. Out of 360 men who were questioned about their acceptance of PrEP as an HIV prevention method, 274 (76.1%) embraced the use of PrEP. The median maximum affordable monthly PrEP cost was one million Vietnam Dong (VND) (equivalent to US$43) and the median average affordable monthly PrEP cost was 0.5 million VND (approximately $21.7). The majority of men (68.8%) could afford an average of less than $43 a month for PrEP. Conclusion: There is a relatively high level of PrEP acceptance among MSM in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. To increase PrEP acceptance, raising awareness and understanding of PrEP is recommended. To expand PrEP interventions in Vietnam, the target population’s ability to pay should be a key focus.
Highlights
HIV was first reported in Vietnam in the early 1990s [1], and the epidemic has rapidly spread through the country during the last 30 years, reported in all provinces and cities since 1999 [2]
This study aims to identify how Men who have sex with men (MSM) accept the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as an HIV prevention method and their ability to pay for it
Since the mid-2000s, there have been several reports and published papers from National HIV/AIDS Sentinel Surveillance, Integrated Biological and Behavioral Surveillance (IBBS), and community-based studies that assess the magnitude of HIV infection among MSM in Vietnam
Summary
HIV was first reported in Vietnam in the early 1990s [1], and the epidemic has rapidly spread through the country during the last 30 years, reported in all provinces and cities since 1999 [2]. An early study of MSM in Ho Chi Minh City pointed out that MSM who engaged in a number of risky sexual behaviors, such as condomless anal intercourse (CAI) and having multiple sexual partners, had inaccurate knowledge about HIV prevention and transmission [8]. It was only in the late 2000s that MSM were officially identified as a high-risk population for HIV infection [9]. To increase PrEP acceptance, raising awareness and understanding of PrEP is recom-
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