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Mobilization for HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing Services in Vietnam: Clients’ Risk Behaviors, Attitudes and Willingness to Pay

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Abstract

A multi-site survey was conducted on a sample of 365 clients to assess their willingness to pay for HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) services in Ha Noi and Nam Dinh province, two epicenters of Vietnam. By using contingent valuation technique, the results showed that most of respondents (95.1 %) were willing to pay averagely 155 (95 % CI 132–177) thousands Vietnam Dong (~US $7.75, 2013) for a VCT service. Clients who were female, had middle income level, and current opioid users were willing to pay less; meanwhile clients who had university level of education were willing to pay more for a VCT service. The results highlighted the high rate of willingness to pay for the service at a high amount by VCT clients. These findings contribute to the implementation of co-payment scheme for VCT services toward the financial sustainability of HIV/AIDS programs in Vietnam.

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Acknowledgments

Dr Bach Tran received the joint fellowship of the International AIDS Society and the National Institute on Drug Abuse that encourages HIV and drug use research. The study was funded by Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control. We would also like to thank all research managers, staffs and health professionals in Ha Noi and Nam Dinh Provinces for the tremendous supports in implementing the study.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

      Long Hoang Nguyen & Bach Xuan Tran

    2. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA

      Bach Xuan Tran & Carl A. Latkin

    3. School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam

      Long Hoang Nguyen

    4. Authority of HIV/AIDS Control, Ministry of Health, Hanoi, Vietnam

      Huong Thu Thi Phan & Trang Thu Bui

    5. Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi, Vietnam

      Nhung Phuong Nguyen

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    1. Long Hoang Nguyen
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    Correspondence to Bach Xuan Tran.

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    Long Hoang Nguyen and Bach Xuan Tran have equally contributed.

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    Nguyen, L.H., Tran, B.X., Nguyen, N.P. et al. Mobilization for HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing Services in Vietnam: Clients’ Risk Behaviors, Attitudes and Willingness to Pay. AIDS Behav 20, 848–858 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1188-6

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