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The Relationship Between Methamphetamine Use, Sexual Sensation Seeking and Condomless Anal Intercourse Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Vietnam: Results of a Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Study

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Abstract

This study assessed the relationship between methamphetamine use and condomless anal intercourse (CAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Of 622 MSM participants, 75.7% reported any CAI in the last three months, 23.2% reported engaging in sex work in the last three months, 21.1% reported group sex in the last twelve months (21.1%) and 14.3% had used methamphetamine for sex in the last three months. CAI was associated with living in Ho Chi Minh City vs. Hanoi, being versatile during anal sex, a greater degree of sexual sensation-seeking, and more strongly agreeing that withdrawal before ejaculation is effective in preventing HIV. Effect-modification analysis showed that recent sex-related methamphetamine use was related to a higher probability of CAI for men with low sexual sensationseeking scores. Methamphetamine assessment and/or interventions should be incorporated into HIV prevention and research with Vietnam's MSM population.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the great support and input from staff of the Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi Centre of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, Center for Community Health Promotion, Center for Promotion of Quality of Life and leaders and representatives of community-based organizations of MSM in Ho Chi Minh City during the data collection process.

Funding

Nga Thi Thu Vu received Australian Award Scholarship for her PhD study in UNSW Australia. The study received financial support from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), UNSW Australia under its Postgraduate Essential Research Program Funding scheme and External Research Program Funding schemes. The Centre for Social Research in Health is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Health. Funding agencies were not involved in the development of the research protocol, data collection, data analysis, interpretation or the dissemination of research findings.

Author’s contribution

Nga Thi Thu Vu contributed to the development of the research protocol, data collection, data analysis and the manuscript drafting and finalization. John De Wit and Martin Holt provided supervision of the research process and provided advice during data analysis and the drafting of manuscript. Huong Thi Thu Phan, Lan Thi La, Gioi Minh Tran, Tung Thanh Doan and Trang Nhu Nguyen Nguyen provided inputs for the development of the research protocol and manuscript drafting and finalization.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW, 2032, Australia

    Nga Thi Thu Vu, Martin Holt & John de Wit

  2. Institute of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, No 1 Ton That Tung Street, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Nga Thi Thu Vu

  3. Vietnam Administration for HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, Ministry of Health, 135/3 Nui Truc Street, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Huong Thi Thu Phan

  4. Hanoi Centre of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, Khu Hanh Chinh Moi, Ha Dong, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Lan Thi La

  5. Center for Community Health Promotion, Suite 117-120, Block B17, Kim Lien Diplomatic Compound, Dong Da, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Gioi Minh Tran & Tung Thanh Doan

  6. Centre for Promotion of Quality of Life, 140, Street No. 7, Trung Son Area, Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Trang Nhu Nguyen Nguyen

  7. Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584, CS Utrecht, Netherlands

    John de Wit

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  1. Nga Thi Thu Vu
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  2. Martin Holt
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  3. Huong Thi Thu Phan
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  5. Gioi Minh Tran
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  7. Trang Nhu Nguyen Nguyen
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  8. John de Wit
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Nga Thi Thu Vu or John de Wit.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Research involving Human Participants and/or Animals

The study received approval from the Human Research Ethics Committee of UNSW Australia (reference HC14130), and from the Institutional Review Board of the Hanoi School of Public Health (reference 014_262/DD-YTCC). All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Vu, N.T.T., Holt, M., Phan, H.T.T. et al. The Relationship Between Methamphetamine Use, Sexual Sensation Seeking and Condomless Anal Intercourse Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Vietnam: Results of a Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Study. AIDS Behav 21, 1105–1116 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1467-x

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