If I was infected with HIV, I would be letting my family down: Family influences on risk and protective factors for unsafe sex among gay Asian Pacific Islander men

Abstract

This article examines family influences on risk and protective factors associated with unsafe sex among gay Asian Pacific Islander men. Twenty-five gay Asian Pacific Islanders completed individual interviews regarding factors that may lead them to engage in unsafe sex as well as factors that may lead them to engage in protective sex. Analysis of qualitative data revealed three ways by which family members influence sexual behaviour. We found that the way that (1) the way these men perceived family obligation and the need to avoid shame, (2) the level of active family participation, and (3) internalisation of what these men perceived to be ‘Asian’ values influenced whether their families acted as a protective factor or not in terms of HIV risk behaviours.

Keywords:

• HIV/AIDS
• risk
• family influences
• Asian Pacific Islander
• gay

Notes

1. ‘I’ is interviewer, ‘R’ is respondent.