Publication Cover
Culture, Health & Sexuality
An International Journal for Research, Intervention and Care
Volume 10, 2008 - Issue sup1: Researching sexuality and health in Vietnam
172
Views
11
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

Male sexual health concerns in Muong Khen, Vietnam

Pages S139-S150 | Published online: 29 Apr 2008
 

Abstract

Male sexual health concerns are often construed in the medical literature as linked only to genital and reproductive difficulties and malfunctions. However, in reality, male sexual health concerns encompass a broader range of issues and should not be so narrowly conceived. This paper explores men's perceptions of sexual health concerns in Muong Khen, a rural town in northwestern Vietnam. Data were collected through observation, in‐depth interviews and focus group discussions. Findings suggest that men's sexual health concerns are strongly related to worries about economic problems, excessive drinking, men's beliefs about how their bodies work and the hegemonic notion that a man should be responsible for his family's economic well‐being.

Résumé

Les préoccupations en matière de santé sexuelle masculine sont souvent interprétées par la littérature médicale comme étant seulement liées aux troubles et aux dysfonctionnements génitaux et reproductifs. En réalité, elles englobent de nombreuses questions et ne devraient pas être perçues de manière si étroite. Cet article explore les perceptions des hommes sur la santé sexuelle à Muong Khen, une ville rurale du Nord Ouest du Vietnam. Les données proviennent d'observations, d'entretiens en profondeur et de discussions de groupes cible. Les résultats suggèrent que les préoccupations des hommes sur la santé sexuelle sont fortement liées aux angoisses que provoquent les problèmes économiques, à l'abus d'alcool, aux croyances des hommes sur le fonctionnement de leur corps, et à la notion hégémonique de l'homme responsable du bien‐être économique de sa famille.

Resumen

En la literatura médica los problemas relacionados con la salud sexual masculina se suelen interpretar sólo en el contexto de dificultades y disfunciones genitales y reproductoras. Sin embargo, en la realidad las preocupaciones sobre la salud sexual masculina abarcan un amplio abanico de problemáticas y no deberían abordarse de una forma tan estrecha de miras. En este artículo analizo cómo perciben los hombres de Muong Khen, un municipio rural situado al noroeste de Vietnam, los problemas en materia de salud sexual. Los datos para el estudio se recabaron a partir de la observación de los participantes, grupos de discusión y entrevistas exhaustivas. Los resultados indican que los problemas sobre la salud sexual masculina están estrechamente relacionados con preocupaciones por los problemas económicos, el exceso de alcohol, la percepción de los hombres del funcionamiento de su cuerpo y la noción hegemónica de que un hombre debería ser responsable del bienestar económico de su familia.

Acknowledgements

I thank all informants in this study for their information and support. I would like to sincerely thank Han ten Brummelhuis of the University of Amsterdam. Without his help, this paper could never have been written. I would also like to thank Saskia Wieringa at the Amsterdam School for Social Research at the University of Amsterdam, for further valuable comments. My current academic adviser at the University of Copenhagen, Jacob Winsløw, gave me interesting suggestions to revise this paper and I thank him for that. Finally, I would like to thank friends at the Consultation for Investment in Health Promotion (CIHP) in Hanoi, who greatly supported me in editing and publishing Vietnamese and English versions of this paper.

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.