Abstract
Survey data from men who have sex with men (MSM) in Asian cities indicate drastic increases in HIV prevalence. It is unknown which factors are most important in driving these epidemics. The objective of this study was to identify patterns of condom use among MSM Internet users living in Viet Nam, as well as risk factors associated with inconsistent condom use and non-condom use. A national Internet-based survey of sexual behaviours was administered in 2011. Results showed that 44.9% of MSM reported not using a condom during their last anal sex encounter with a male partner. MSM were less likely to report condom use during anal sex with long-term partners than with casual partners. Twenty-three and a half per cent of MSM surveyed had ever taken an HIV test and received the results. Study findings highlight the urgent need for targeted strategies focused on increasing the rate of consistent condom use during anal sex with male partners among MSM in Viet Nam.
Acknowledgements
Ethical approval was sought and granted from the Ha Noi School of Public Health Institutional Review Board, a Viet Nam governmental entity, and Flinders University Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee. All views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Funding
This study was funded by two Flinders University postgraduate research grants.