Factors Associated with HIV Prevention Behavior among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Trang Province

Abstract

          This research was a descriptive study designed to identify factors associated with HIV prevention behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Trang Province. One hundred and twenty-seven
subjects were recruited as the sample. The data was collected in June 2018. The Pearson product moment
correlation coefficient analysis was used to identify the associated factors of HIV prevention behavior.

          The results showed that majority of the respondents (59.1%) were aged 18-32 years, giving the average age 37 years old, The average income was 13,807.09 Baht. The study,on health beliefs. Indicated the followings 76.4% perceived benefits in preventing infection with HIV at high level perceived barriers to prevent infection with HIV, high-level perceived risk of infection with HIV at moderate level 52.8% perceived severity of infection with HIV, low and. preventive behaviors moderate level.The study on factors related to HIV prevention behaviors revealed that personal factors including age and income were, not related to HIV prevention behaviors. correlation coefficients (r) wasere equal to -0.165, (p = 0.064). and -0.133, (p = 0.135), respectively. For studied factors related to health beliefswas found to significantly associated with HIV prevention behavior (r=0.191, p=0.032) Majority of the subjects (76.4%) had perceived benefit score on HIV prevention at high level. The lowest mean score on the item of perceived benefit on HIV prevention was observed to be taking preventive HIV medication before engaging in unsafe sexual intercourse can prevent HIV infection.

          In the program on behavior modification to further reduce new HIV infections among MSM in Trang Province, stakeholders should promote MSM to be aware of the perceived benefits of infection prevention, such as promoting access to preventive HIV medication before having unsafe sexual intercourse.