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Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with HIV Infection Among Men Having Sex with Men in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

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Abstract

To learn more about risk behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Vietnam and their prevalence of HIV, we conducted a study among MSM in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) to determine HIV-1 prevalence and behaviors associated with infection. This consisted of formative (35 MSM) and cross-sectional (600 MSM) studies at 72 sites, including 75 transvestites, 55 bisexuals, 10 sex workers, and 460 other MSM. Only 5.3% cohabited with a wife/girlfriend, but 30% reported ever having sex with a female. Prevalence of HIV was 8%, ranging from 33% in sex workers to 7% among transvestites and other MSM. Injecting drugs, selling sex, being 20–40 years old, having less than 6 years of education, and having more than five male anal sex partners in the past month were associated with being HIV-infected. MSM are an HIV bridge group, and should be included in sentinel surveillance. Targeted interventions should be implemented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Tuan Anh Nguyen & Hien Tran Nguyen

  2. Department of Health Services, Hochiminh City, Vietnam

    Giang Truong Le

  3. Department of Epidemiology, UCLA School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1772, USA

    Roger Detels

Authors
  1. Tuan Anh Nguyen
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  2. Hien Tran Nguyen
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  3. Giang Truong Le
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  4. Roger Detels
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Correspondence to Roger Detels.

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Nguyen, T.A., Nguyen, H.T., Le, G.T. et al. Prevalence and Risk Factors Associated with HIV Infection Among Men Having Sex with Men in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. AIDS Behav 12, 476–482 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9267-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9267-y

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