Abstract
BackgroundIn Vietnam, men who have sex with men (MSM) are highly affected by HIV and need new targeted HIV prevention strategies.ObjectivesTo assess the willingness to use the Internet to seek information on HIV prevention and care and associated factors among MSM in Ho Chi Minh City.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2012. Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method in venues most frequented by MSM and completed a self-administered questionnaire. Logistic regression models were performed to estimate factors associated with the willingness to use the Internet to seek information on HIV prevention and care.ResultsA total of 358 MSM were approached for the survey and 222 questionnaires (62.0%) were eligible for analyses. Overall, 76.1% of the respondents reported that they were willing to use the Internet to seek information on HIV prevention and care. A number of male partners in last year less than or equal to 3 (Adjusted Odds Ratio: 3.07, 95% Confidence interval: 1.40–6.73), a history of STI screening (4.10, 1.02–16.48) and HIV testing (3.23, 1.20–8.64) and having ever sought a male sexual partner through the Internet (3.56, 1.55–8.18) were significantly positively associated with the willingness to use the Internet to seek information on HIV prevention and care.ConclusionThe MSM interviewed in Ho Chi Minh City reported a high willingness to use the Internet to seek information on HIV prevention and care. In a context where new media are increasingly considered as promising options for reaching this HIV risk group, further research should be conducted on developing and testing tailored online tools adapted to the needs of Vietnamese MSM.
Highlights
The men who have sex with men (MSM) interviewed in Ho Chi Minh City reported a high willingness to use the Internet to seek information on HIV prevention and care
In a context where new media are increasingly considered as promising options for reaching this HIV risk group, further research should be conducted on developing and testing tailored online tools adapted to the needs of Vietnamese MSM
Since the first cases of AIDS reported in the early 1980s in the gay community of San Francisco, HIV prevalence has been consistently higher among men who have sex with men (MSM) than in the general population and MSM remain at high risk for HIV infection worldwide [1], [2], [3]
Summary
Since the first cases of AIDS reported in the early 1980s in the gay community of San Francisco, HIV prevalence has been consistently higher among men who have sex with men (MSM) than in the general population and MSM remain at high risk for HIV infection worldwide [1], [2], [3]. In Vietnam, with an estimated 280,000 HIV-infected people, the HIV epidemic is still at a concentrated stage and MSM are one of the groups with the highest HIV prevalence [8]. Socioeconomic development has changed attitudes towards MSM in the last 10 years, homosexuality is generally not considered as a normal or acceptable practice in Vietnam [9], [10]. In Vietnam, men who have sex with men (MSM) are highly affected by HIV and need new targeted HIV prevention strategies
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
