| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 衛生政策與管理研究所 === 97 === Objectives: Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be the predominant group that contributes to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Taiwan. Due to prevailing prejudice to their sexual identity and, as a result, the social exclusion commonly experienced by them, special “places” have emerged as MSM privileged settings. This study examines sexual related interactions and the pattern of sexual behavior engaged by MSM in different public environments. Potential risks for HIV/AIDS or other STIs which inherent in the context of each place were explored, and, correspondingly, the norms and practices of safer sex like condom use were elaborated. It is expected that findings from this study can inform setting-oriented HIV/AIDS interventions targeting on MSM.
Methods: From November 2007 to July 2008, this qualitative study applies multi-methods to collect data, including face-to-face in-depth interviews, focus groups, informal interviews, and participant observations. The data on which the study is based mainly came from 18 MSM. They were selected because they were familiar with one or more specific types of “gay place.”
Results: The major findings of the study are: (1) the parks (and public toilets), theaters, gay saunas, gyms, gay bars, home parties, and internet constitute the most commonly used venues for general and sexual interactions among MSM. Each attracts different segments of MSM, (2) on-site sexual partnering and exchanges were most likely to happen in gay saunas and home parties. Other environments, however, were used to channel sexual activities in other more suitable or private places, (3) although awareness of HIV/AIDS risks has raised among gay community and those who run the commercial gay entertainment places, certain interventions they applied in the public (sexual) environments were inappropriate and should be further investigated, (4) The increasing use of entertainment drugs in some public environments may greatly jeopardize the intended safer sex practices, and (5) The internet, a unique “public environment” which functions as a powerful medium to connect people in the virtual world and make real sexual contacts soon in the real settings, emerges as a riskier public place than others.
Conclusions: The public environments for MSM activities are quite diversified and spatial arrangements or facilities designed for the purpose of sexual interactions inside these environments have posed risks for HIV/AIDS or other STIs transmission. However, these environments also held potential for effective HIV/AIDS interventions among this group. Greater efforts should be directed to setting- or environment-oriented prevention strategies.
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