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HIV Risk Behaviours and Determinants Among People Living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam

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Abstract

There is a potentially high risk of HIV spreading from people living with HIV/AIDS. We conducted a cross-sectional study to examine HIV risk behaviours and their determinants among people living with HIV/AIDS. Eighty-two percent had been sexually active. Sex with multiple partners was reported by 20% and consistent condom use by about one third. More than half of the participants (52%) reported having injected drugs during the previous month, and 35% of those had shared needles and syringes. Voluntary HIV testing and having received condoms or injection equipment from the local HIV prevention program, were found to be significantly associated with fewer HIV risk behaviours. Having learned recently about personal HIV status, multiple sex partners, low educational attainment and young age were found to be associated with higher HIV risk behaviours. Giving high priority to targeted preventive and support programmes is likely to be a highly cost-effective strategy.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS control. We are especially indebted to Dr. Trinh Quan Huan, Dr. Nguyen Van Kinh, and Dr. Pham Duc Manh at Ministry of Health, and Dr. Pham Hong Thang, Ms. Hoang Thi Thanh Ha, Dr. Lam Thi Thanh Thuy, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha and Dr. Nguyen Le Hai at the Sub-Committee of HIV/AIDS Surveillance, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology for their close involvement in the study. We are very grateful to the staff of the 20 Global Fund-supported provinces for their contributions to the conduct of the study.

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Correspondence to Duong Cong Thanh.

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Thanh, D.C., Hien, N.T., Tuan, N.A. et al. HIV Risk Behaviours and Determinants Among People Living with HIV/AIDS in Vietnam. AIDS Behav 13, 1151–1159 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-008-9451-8

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