Nha Trang City in south-central Vietnam has implemented an HIV prevention program targeting Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) since 2003. In order to expand the program to provide education and outreach services in the surrounding rural areas of Khanh Hoa province, a survey was conducted among MSM in the city and 4 rural districts. Qualitative data was collected through individual interviews and focus group discussions. A survey of 295 MSM in the province provided quantitative information on risk behavior and HIV prevalence. Men in rural areas had less knowledge about HIV transmission and prevention and were less likely to know that anal sex was high risk for HIV. Condom use was high among both rural and urban MSM. None of the 295 men tested for HIV were infected. Although most programs for MSM in Vietnam and other Asian countries target men living in urban areas, there are significant numbers of MSM in rural areas who can be reached through peer educator interventions. Rural MSM have less access to specific HIV prevention information on homosexual sex and less knowledge about how to protect themselves from HIV infection. More programs are needed for MSM in the rural areas of Vietnam.

The authors: Donn Colby

Truong Tan Minh

Ton That Toan

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