Barriers Preventing Access by Men who have Sex with Men to HIV-related health services in Southeast Asia: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT

The objective of this scoping review was to identify and describe barriers experienced by men who have sex with men (MSM) when accessing HIV-related health care in Southeast Asia. A systematic search identified thirteen papers, which were full text reviewed and data extracted. An intersection of stigma and discrimination, fear and shame, cultural norms and societal expectations coalesce to influence the ability, either physically through lack of service provision or emotionally through personal restraint, of MSM to access HIV-related health services. Many of the factors continuing to drive the ongoing HIV epidemic across the Southeast Asia region have humanitarian origin – access to safe and non-discriminatory healthcare, education on sexual health, and not being persecuted for having a health condition. These must be addressed with an interdisciplinary response at local, government and regional level.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV [MESH]
• human rights [MESH]
• social discrimination [MESH]
• health services Accessibility [MESH]
• Southeastern Asia [MESH]

Acknowledgements

None.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability Statement

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its supplementary materials.

Funding details

This work was not supported by a Funding Agency.