(YMSM) to Develop Ideas on Using the Internet for HIV Prevention

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

(YMSM) to Develop Ideas on Using the Internet for HIV Prevention Creating Space for Young Men Who Have Sex with Men (YMSM) to Develop Ideas on Using the Internet for HIV Prevention Dinar Saurmauli Lubis A thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 2018 Faculty of Health and Environmental Science Abstract The prevalence rate of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Bali, Indonesia, is currently estimated at 20% (Bali Province Health Office [BPHO, 2016c]). This is significantly higher than HIV prevalence among this cohort at the national level (8.5%) and in other South-East Asian countries such as the Philippines (1.7%), Thailand (7.1%) and Vietnam (4.0%). Given relatively high rates of HIV infection among YMSM in Bali, preventing the spread of the disease among this community is vital. In recent years, Internet-based initiatives have been gaining popularity as tools for HIV prevention among YMSM as they potentially provide a convenient, easily accessible and anonymous social space for individuals requiring information and advice compared to face-to-face venues – as well as potentially providing much-needed advocacy and support. However, research on Internet-based initiatives for HIV prevention is still in its infancy, and this is true for Indonesia. Further, in order to be effective HIV prevention must be based on YMSM’s unique needs and characteristics, as evidence shows that it is essential to relate the target group’s needs to the social context. Normative sexuality in communities which endorse a heterosexual norm, often have an implication for risk and vulnerability of YMSM as well as for HIV prevention. This study adopted empowerment oriented participatory methodology to enable individuals within the YMSM community itself to contribute to the formulation of effective initiatives. The research question was How can Bali’s YMSM community be empowered to develop Internet-based HIV prevention?. The participants of this study was nine YMSM of Bali. This study employs Habermas’ critical social theory as framework and a participatory action research (PAR) research as methodology. In PAR, participants are positioned as co-researchers or partners during the research process, rather than as passive respondents. Nine participants from Bali’s YMSM community were recruited to participate in the research. The research process began by (i) creating a suitable research space, (ii) sharing the details of the research topic with the participants, (iii) developing i a research plan with them, (iv) taking action, (v) reflection, and, (vi) evaluation. The Habermas’ communicative action theory deepens the examination of this study into the complexity of the HIV epidemic and prevention practice which has roots in community structures and HIV systems where HIV prevention is practice, produced, and reproduced. The participatory action research has opened up opportunities to create collaborative action by co-designing the HIV prevention initiative for YMSM in the Internet. Using PAR as a tool for collaborative research had provided enlightenment on the need to shift YMSM’s roles in HIV prevention, from being clients to being collaborators. The original contribution of this study to the body of knowledge is on how pivotal to create space for YMSM’s lifeworlds in informing a better and culturally acceptable Internet based-HIV prevention initiatives for YMSM. The findings of the current study have implications on policy and practice for Internet-based HIV prevention techniques both in Bali and beyond. The policy and programme recommendations include the need to create spaces for the YMSM in the HIV prevention as prosumers; the need to produce guidelines to conduct an Internet-based HIV prevention in Bali which is relevant to the lifeworld of YMSM; and ensuring the digital right of YMSM to access HIV information and to engage in Internet-based HIV prevention activities in the Internet. ii Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. i List of figures ................................................................................................................... vi List of tables .................................................................................................................... vii List of Box ..................................................................................................................... viii Glossary ........................................................................................................................... ix Attestation of authorship ................................................................................................... x Dedication ........................................................................................................................ xi Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... xii Ethical Approval ............................................................................................................ xiv Chapter One ...................................................................................................................... 1 SITUATING THE RESEARCH ....................................................................................... 1 1.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Background and rationale ................................................................................. 2 1.3. Aims of the study and research question........................................................... 5 1.4. The philosophical framework of the study ....................................................... 5 1.5. Significance of the study ................................................................................... 7 1.6. Researcher positionality .................................................................................... 7 1.7. Structure of the thesis ...................................................................................... 10 Chapter Two .................................................................................................................... 12 SITUATIONAL CONTEXT OF THE STUDY ............................................................. 12 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 12 The HIV Epidemic in Indonesia and Bali ....................................................... 14 Structural determinant and socio politic position............................................ 29 The Indonesian political response to the HIV epidemic ................................. 36 Summary ......................................................................................................... 45 Chapter Three .................................................................................................................. 46 YMSM AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNET-BASED HIV PREVENTION: A POLICY REVIEW .......................................................................................................... 46 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 46 3.2 The role of global HIV policy in HIV prevention for MSM........................... 47 3.3 HIV prevention models ................................................................................... 50 3.4 The digital divide among MSM and YMSM .................................................. 59 3.5 The Internet and YMSM’s lifeworld .............................................................. 62 3.6 Online HIV prevention in Indonesia ............................................................... 74 3.7 Barriers to employing Internet-based HIV prevention initiatives ................... 80 iii 3.8 Summary ......................................................................................................... 81 Chapter Four ................................................................................................................... 83 RESEARCH DESIGN FOR DEVELOPING YMSM’S IDEAS ABOUT INTERNET- BASED HIV PREVENTION ......................................................................................... 83 4.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 83 4.2 Positioning the research study ......................................................................... 83 4.3 Habermas’ Communicative action as theoretical framework for the study .... 85 4.4 PAR as methodology underpinning the research ............................................ 87 4.5 Research design of the study ........................................................................... 96 4.6 Pre-fieldwork preparation ............................................................................... 96 4.7 Pre-fieldwork preparation in Bali.................................................................... 98 4.8 Selection and advertisement of the research ................................................... 99 4.9 The co-researcher and the research facilitator .............................................. 101 4.10 Creating space for YMSM in research .......................................................... 103 4.11 Rigour in the study .......................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Geosocial Networking Apps Use Among Sexual Minority Men in Ecuador: an Exploratory Study
    Archives of Sexual Behavior https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-021-01921-0 ORIGINAL PAPER Geosocial Networking Apps Use Among Sexual Minority Men in Ecuador: An Exploratory Study Carlos Hermosa‑Bosano1 · Paula Hidalgo‑Andrade1 · Clara Paz1 Received: 20 June 2020 / Revised: 4 January 2021 / Accepted: 15 January 2021 © The Author(s) 2021 Abstract Geosocial networking applications (GSN apps) have become important socialization contexts for sexual minority men (SMM). Despite their popularity, there is limited research carried out in Latin American countries and no single previous study done in Ecuador. To fll this gap, this exploratory study described and analyzed the relationships between the sociodemographic charac- teristics of SMM using GSN apps, their sought and fulflled expectations, profle shared and sought characteristics, and the evalu- ation of their experiences as users including their perceptions of support, and discrimination. We used an online recruited sample of 303 participants enrolled between November 2019 and January 2020. Most respondents used Grindr and reported spending up to 3 h per day using apps. Most common sought expectations were getting distracted, meeting new friends, and meeting people for sexual encounters. The least met expectation was meeting someone to build a romantic relationship with. When asked about their profles, participants reported sharing mainly their age, photographs, and sexual role. Participants also prioritized these characteristics when looking at others’ profles. When asked about their experiences, most reported having been discriminated against, weight being the main reason for it. Some participants also indicated having received emotional support from other users. Correlation analyses indicated signifcant but weak relationships among the variables.
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding the Impact of Smartphone Applications on STI/HIV Prevention Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the EU/EEA
    TECHNICAL REPORT Understanding the impact of smartphone applications on STI/HIV prevention among men who have sex with men in the EU/EEA www.ecdc.europa.eu ECDC TECHNICAL REPORT Understanding the impact of smartphone applications on STI/HIV prevention among men who have sex with men in the EU/EEA This report was commissioned by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), led and managed by Teymur Noori with technical input from Andrew J Amato-Gauci, Gianfranco Spiteri and Anastasia Pharris. The first draft of this report was produced by Cary James and Justin Harbottle, Terrence Higgins Trust (THT). ECDC and THT would like to thank all those who contributed to the stakeholder survey and in-depth interviews that are the foundation of this report. These are: Isabell Eibl (Aids Hilfe Wien, Austria); Daniela Rojas Castro (AIDE, France); Aida Kurtovic (Partnerships in Health, Bosnia and Herzegovina); Veaceslav Mulear (GENDERDOC-M, Moldova); Ricardo Fuertes (CheckpointLX, Portugal); Tomasz Malkuszewski (Social AIDS Committee, Poland); Djurica Stankov (AIDS Support Center, Serbia); Lella Cosmaro (Fondazione LILA Milano ONLU, Italy); Giulio Maria Corbelli (Plus onlus, Italy); Paolo Gorgoni (Plus onlus/HIV activist); Zoran Dominković (Iskorak, Croatia); Miran Šolinc (Department Magnus, Slovenia); Loreta Stoniene (Demetra, Lithuania); Tristan Rehbold, Pablo Corbalan (manCheck, Germany); Safia Soltani (Ex Aequo, Belgium); Frank M. Amor (FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences, Austria); Dirk Sander (Deutsche AIDS- Hilfe, Germany); Fiona Larkan (Centre of Global Health, Trinity College, Ireland); Silke Klumb (Deutsche AIDS-Hilfe, Germany); Anastassia Peterson, Latsin Alijev (Estonian Network of People Living with HIV, Estonia); Magdalena Ankiersztejn-Bartczak (CEO, Foundation of Social Education, Poland); Cédric FIEVET (Agent de terrain/chargé de missions, Belgium); Patt Maclusker (Yorkshire MESMAC, United Kingdom); Sam Whalley (LGBT Foundation, United Kingdom); Ben Tooke (Terrence Higgins Trust, United Kingdom).
    [Show full text]
  • Strangers in Gay Men's Narratives On
    Location, safety and (non) strangers in gay men’s narratives on ‘hook-up’ apps Davis, Mark; Flowers, Paul; Lorimer, Karen; Oakland, Jane; Frankis, Jamie Published in: Sexualities DOI: 10.1177/1363460716629334 Publication date: 2016 Document Version Author accepted manuscript Link to publication in ResearchOnline Citation for published version (Harvard): Davis, M, Flowers, P, Lorimer, K, Oakland, J & Frankis, J 2016, 'Location, safety and (non) strangers in gay men’s narratives on ‘hook-up’ apps', Sexualities, vol. 19, no. 7, pp. 836-852. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460716629334 General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please view our takedown policy at https://edshare.gcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/5179 for details of how to contact us. Download date: 01. Oct. 2021 Location, safety and (non) strangers in gay men’s narratives on ‘hook-up’ apps 19 September 2015 1 Location, safety and (non) strangers in gay men’s narratives on ‘hook-up’ apps Abstract Hook-up websites and apps are said to be transforming the sexual lives of gay men and have been linked with the apparent erosion of gay publics as the basis for identity politics and social action. This paper examines these dynamics in the interview and focus group talk of gay men living on the economic and geographical margins of metropolitan gay culture.
    [Show full text]
  • Gay Applications for Android
    Gay Applications For Android Swirliest Meir predoom or clinches some contemners stabbingly, however fleshier Patrice pressuring medically or dragonnades. Typal and historiographical Barrett eggs shabbily and hearken his vitalization anear and unflinchingly. Is Leonid dissociable when Martino speed-ups internally? We also tracks and gay applications key that site is sending your age, possibly due to connect with the favorite among persons Marketplace thinks the clip relevant application to Grinder is Sex Offender Search. Grindr for android application is second most popular eats for women, you meet their story than gay applications key that? Etc Manhunt Android os Version Like other cracked applications you if't update this manhunt apk. Is gay applications currently out to satisfy your android application to. This need the first opportunity ever an application has been developed for gay men into non-Vanilla sexual kinks GFet is this available on Appstore It will. This application and applications keep up, android along with unpacking a number of gays; just loved the lgbt lifestyle in! Plan meetups and applications keep it gives you find the general. Why bother having problems away because, split view an option for gay android by assigning a human anatomy of. Cool tips for gay dating application put the app is portrayed to know what to another username or home screen. The Daddyhunt App is trump No 1 mobile social networking app for gay bi and curious Daddies and guys that love Daddies. So many gay applications only for android. GuySpy Launches New Android Application for Gay Male Dating Android Market Vancouver BC February 14 2011 Stark Mobile Media is pleased to.
    [Show full text]
  • Cultural Competency, MSM and Internet-Based Partner Services
    Cultural Competency, MSM and Internet-Based Partner Services This webinar is supported by CDC-DSTDP and the National Network of Public Health Institutes. Welcome For the audio portion of this webinar please dial: Conference Number: 866.740.1260 Access Code 7153863 This webinar is supported by CDC-DSTDP and the National Network of Public Health Institutes. Recording A recording of this call and the presentation slides will be available shortly after the webinar. All registrants will receive the archive link via email. Brief Notes about Technology Telephone lines will be muted on today’s call. To submit questions, type your question in the dialogue box (chat box) in the lower left side of the screen. Only the presenters will see your question. NCSD’s Commitment to MSM’s Sexual Health National Stigma Survey: • With funding from the MAC AIDS Foundation, NCSD, in partnership with NASTAD, is conducting a national survey tailored to assess stigma among health departments’ staff, health care providers, and community stakeholders. • The goal of the stigma survey is to examine multiple dimensions of stigma that may negatively impact public health practice and thwart the implementation efforts aimed at increasing sexual health and reducing HIV and STD risk among Black and Latino gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States at the institution-/community-level. Optimal Care Check-list • Pulling together a national panel of experts to facilitate the creation of an optimal care check-list for Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) sexual health. We plan to develop two such check lists—one for MSM and another for the providers who provide service to MSM.
    [Show full text]
  • 2016.1 Intimate Strangers
    Andrés Jaque is the founder of Andrés Jaque Architects Andrés Jaque / Offce for and the Offce for Political Innovation. He has devel- Political Innovation oped a series of architectural experiments intended to explore design from a political perspective, including Intimate Strangers ‘IKEA Disobedients’ (2011), which was the frst archi- tectural performance ever included in the collection of MoMA (New York), and ‘Superpowers of Ten’ (2015), a performance based on the narrative and ideas of Charles and Ray Eames’s 1977 flm Powers of Ten. He is professor of Advanced Architectural Design at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, and visiting professor at Princeton University School of Architecture. COSMO, MoMA PS1, New York, 2015 ‘Superpowers of Ten’, Lisbon Architecture Triennale ‘Close, Closer’, Lisbon, Portugal, 2013 Rolling House for the Rolling Society: prototype of a shared European Phantom: Mies as Rendered Society, Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, home, Construmat, Barcelona, 2009 Barcelona, 2012 33 Andrés Jaque / Offce for Political Innovation At the end of the twentieth century, people were predict- summer menswear show, a place for PAPER maga- ing a future in which physical proximity would no longer zine to recruit models. Grindr has also been seen as a be necessary. Instead, we would have virtual relation- counter-queer space in the age of same-sex marriage. ships. Such predictions turned out to be unfounded. The app has been criticized for its contribution to trans- The launch of 3G portable devices equipped with global forming gay scenes from spaces of gender activism into positioning (GPS) in 2008, followed by locative geosocial contexts of healthy looking individuality and one-to-one media (LGM) in 2009, made it easier than ever for peo- intercourse, shifting gay societies from being spaces ple to come to together.
    [Show full text]
  • BHOC App Inventory
    App Inventory as of Feb. 19, 2020. Please submit updates or questions to [email protected] App/website Partner notification strategies App/Website Overview Logistics Programmatic Login Requirment Is a Rate Sheet Public Health, "Targeted" Geo advertising Health (s) Available (include Academic, messaging allowed? (i.e., Advertising link to Message System department Policy for allowing outreach # Users (reported Yes/No and link Website Description Ad Media Kit Ad Rates Research and/or ad advertising Contact TellYourPartner.org (internal) initiated/HIV & and/or partner notification? Ways that the by apps) or comment as to discounts placement through gay ad STD user can log into where is can be offered? offered? network, Google, the app/website found) etc.) No, and the 2019 Rates: Grindr 4 Equality Location-based MSM Rates go up and Not allowed. Currently not 1.1 M Daily Active 320x50: $4 CPM; program is dating app with https://www. down based on Yes- advertiser support@selfservi allowed, but programs may be US users, 3.2 M 320x480 $15. designed to work Grindr https://www.grindr.com features for direct grindrads. Y do not expire Y Email seasonality and Yes must set up ce.grindr.com able to carry out activities if no Monthly Active CPM; Video: $25 with public health messaging and photo com/index.html investment level themselves complaints from users. US users CPM; Inbox jurisdictions sharing. size message: $10K. https://www. grindr.com/g4e/ No. SCRUFF Cities are sold Discounted local Yes—public eliminated Location-based MSM individually, rate sheet for health programmatic dating app with https://www.
    [Show full text]
  • Masculinity As Prison: Sexual Identity, Race, and Incarceration Russell K
    Berkeley Law Berkeley Law Scholarship Repository Faculty Scholarship 1-1-2011 Masculinity as Prison: Sexual Identity, Race, and Incarceration Russell K. Robinson Berkeley Law Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.law.berkeley.edu/facpubs Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Russell K. Robinson, Masculinity as Prison: Sexual Identity, Race, and Incarceration, 99 Cal. L. Rev. 1309 (2011) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Berkeley Law Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Scholarship by an authorized administrator of Berkeley Law Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Masculinity as Prison: Sexual Identity, Race, and Incarceration Russell K. Robinson* The Los Angeles County Men's Jail segregatesgay and transgender inmates and says that it does so to protect them from sexual assault. But not all gay and transgenderinmates qualify for admission to the K6G unit. Transgender inmates must appear transgender to staff that inspect them. Gay men must identify as gay in a public space and then satisfactorily answer a series of cultural questions designed to determine whether they really are gay. This policy creates harms for those who are excluded, including vulnerable heterosexual and bisexual men, men who have sex with men but do not embrace gay identity, and gay-identified men who do not mimic white, affluent gay culture. Further,the policy harms those who are included in that it stereotypes them as inherent victims, exposes them to a heightened risk of HIV transmission, and disrupts relationships that cut across gender identity and sexual orientation.
    [Show full text]
  • Mobile Apps and Sexual Risk Behaviours Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
    THE ONTARIO HIV RAPIDTREATMENT RESPONSE NETWORK SERVICE Mobile apps and sexual risk behaviours among men who have sex with men Questions • What is the impact of mobile applications and internet hook-up sites on risk behaviour associated with HIV/STI transmission and acquisition among men who have sex with men in high income countries? • What strategies are used to reach out and prevent HIV/STI among men who have sex with men seeking sex online? References 1. Grov C, Breslow AS, Newcomb ME, Key Take-Home Messages Rosenberger JG, Bauermeister JA. Gay and bisexual men’s use of the Internet: • Since the 1990s, gay and bisexual men who have sex with Research from the 1990s through 2013. men have been using information and communication Journal of Sex Research 2014;51(4):390- technologies, specifically the internet and mobile smart- 409. phone networking applications for a variety of sexual purposes (1). 2. Phillips G, Magnus M, Kuo I, Rawls A, Peterson J, Jia Y, et al. Use of geoso- • Men who prefer finding partners online, and by extension, cial networking (GSN) mobile phone men who use mobile apps to find partners, prefer the applications to find men for sex by anonymity of the encounter, the ability to experiment with men who have sex with men (MSM) in their sexuality, and the ease of interaction with partners Washington, DC. AIDS and Behavior (2). 2014;18(9):1630-7. • While some research suggests that seeking sex through 3. Landovitz RJ, Tseng C-H, Weissman mobile and internet platforms is associated with more M, Haymer M, Mendenhall B, Rogers K, high-risk behaviours than other ways of finding sexual et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Acceptability of Smartphone Application-Based HIV Prevention Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men
    AIDS Behav DOI 10.1007/s10461-013-0671-1 ORIGINAL PAPER Acceptability of Smartphone Application-Based HIV Prevention Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men Ian W. Holloway • Eric Rice • Jeremy Gibbs • Hailey Winetrobe • Shannon Dunlap • Harmony Rhoades Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013 Abstract Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) internet a una muestra de probabilidad de 195 YMSM are increasingly using mobile smartphone applications usuarios de Grindr, para evaluar los patrones y motivaci- (‘‘apps’’), such as Grindr, to meet sex partners. A proba- ones del uso de Grindr, con el fin de utilizar esta infor- bility sample of 195 Grindr-using YMSM in Southern macio´n para el desarrollo y personalizacio´n de prevencio´n California were administered an anonymous online survey del VIH entre YMSM con base en tele´fonos inteligentes. to assess patterns of and motivations for Grindr use in order La principal razo´n para utilizar Grindr (29 %) es para bu- to inform development and tailoring of smartphone-based scar encuentros sexuales casuales (hook-ups). Entre los HIV prevention for YMSM. The number one reason for participantes que utilizan tanto Grindr como otro sitios de using Grindr (29 %) was to meet ‘‘hook ups.’’ Among citas online, un mayor porcentaje estadı´sticamente signifi- those participants who used both Grindr and online dating cativo utilizo´ los sitios de citas online para encuentros sites, a statistically significantly greater percentage used casuales sexuales (42 %) comparado con Grindr (30 %). online dating sites for ‘‘hook ups’’ (42 %) compared to Un setenta porciento de los YMSM expreso´ su disposicio´n Grindr (30 %).
    [Show full text]
  • What Constitutes the Best Sex Life for Gay And
    Bourne et al. BMC Public Health 2013, 13:1083 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/13/1083 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access What constitutes the best sex life for gay and bisexual men? Implications for HIV prevention Adam Bourne*, Gary Hammond, Ford Hickson, David Reid, Axel J Schmidt, Peter Weatherburn and The EMIS Network Abstract Background: While a large body of research has sought to understand HIV transmission risk behaviours among gay men, bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM), less attention has been paid to the wider sexual health and well-being of this population. While some community-based organisations aim to support a more holistic sense of sexual well-being there is little evidence to draw on to inform their interventions. The current study sought to explore gay and bisexual men’s conceptions of what constitutes the ‘best sex’. Method: The EMIS survey of 2010 recruited more than 180,000 respondents from 38 European countries to complete an online questionnaire about sexual health and behaviour. The 12,942 English language, UK-based responses to the open ended question, “What’s your idea of the best sex life?” were subjected to a detailed content analysis. A framework was devised to reflect and describe the key themes emerging from the data, which was then used to code all responses to one (or more) of these themes. Further statistical analysis sought to establish if and how responses differed according to key demographic variables. Results: Eight themes emerged that capture the diversity of gay and bisexual men’s sexual desires.
    [Show full text]
  • Gay and Bisexual Men Talk About Their Sexual Lives and Sexual Health Needs
    Gay and bisexual men talk about their sexual lives and sexual health needs Report authors: Colin Morrison and Gregory Baker NAVIGATION Use the Bookmark Panel on the left to go to each Chapter. Click on Chapter headings to take you to that page. Each individual chapter content page is hyperlinked. You can also use the “Find” function in the Adobe toolbar to search for specific information. GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN TALK ABOUT THEIR SEXUAL LIVES AND SEXUAL HEALTH NEEDS ABOUT FAQ FAQ Scotland is part of a larger project that wants to prevent HIV infections in Scotland among gay and bisexual men. The larger project is called an HIV Needs Assessment, which is being undertaken by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) and NHS Lothian. The two health boards launched the HIV Needs Assessment because numbers of men becoming HIV positive are on the rise. Each year around 100 men in Scotland become HIV positive and men who have sex with men is the population group most at risk. A Needs Assessment is a way for the NHS to take a close look at a health issue that affects a population and think about what needs to happen to tackle a problem (like HIV), including how services like sexual health clinics are doing and should do their job. The FAQ Scotland project is the community engagement part of the HIV Needs Assessment. FAQ wanted to make contact with gay and bisexual men and hear from them about their sex and relationships and sexual health. A company called TASC (Scotland) designed and delivered FAQ for the health boards.
    [Show full text]