Rapid socioeconomic transformation in Vietnam in last 15 years has been followed by more liberation of sexual expression and representation of sexual identity among young people. There has been an increase in the visibility of homosexual men in major cities of Vietnam who were largely an unknown population until the emergence of the HIV epidemic. Men who have sex with men (MSM) are now considered as one of the target groups in many HIV prevention programs. This qualitative study examines local identities, relationships, and sexual practices among young MSM aged 15-24 in the cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Our analyses were based on 26 in-depth interviews and 10 focus group discussions with young MSM recruited through public place intercepts and cruising areas. Data document the linguistic classification, sexual relationships and behaviors, identity and process of homosexual identification, and the potential linkage between sexual identity and sexual behaviors of MSM in Vietnam. Data also highlight the stages of homosexual community development in urban Vietnam and important differences between Vietnam and the West in the representation of homosexual identity, relationships, and practices. In light of the findings, we suggest that the continuing development and elaboration of a homosexual community in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City offers significant opportunities for targeted HIV/AIDS prevention activities in the Vietnamese MSM population.As in many other cultures, homosexuality is not considered a normal or acceptable practice in Vietnam. Although homosexuality has never been explicitly illegal in Vietnam, men who engage in homosexual practices are regarded as a "deviant" group, subject to social stigma and discrimination. As a result, they often attempt to keep their sexual identities and desires secret. Rapid socioeconomic transformation in last 15 years has led to greater freedom of sexual expression among young people, and advances in communication technologies have enabled homosexuals in Vietnam to interact with and learn about their counterparts in other countries. There are now a growing number of men who openly assert homosexual identities in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and their increasing visibility has garnered greater public attention (Blanc, 2005; Colby, Cao, & Dousntouse, 2004).
Background
Although QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus), a new interferon-gamma release assay, has shown good performance in adults, little data is available in children.
Methods
De-identified data from TB-suspected patients age <18 years with QFT-Plus results, who were admitted or screened at the National Lung Hospital (NLH) in Ha Noi, Vietnam in 2017, were assessed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the characteristics associated with having a positive QFT-Plus result. Sensitivity, both overall and in subgroups of pulmonary TB only (PTB), extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) only, and both PTB and EPTB were calculated.
Results
Of 222 children with available QFT-Plus results, 33 were classified as confirmed TB, of whom 18 had QFT-Plus (+) and 15 had QFT-Plus (-). Multiple logistic regression modeling suggested that age, history of TB, and confirmed TB were significantly associated with having a positive QFT-Plus result with an area under the ROC curve of 0.77. QFT-Plus sensitivity in PTB only, EPTB, and both PTB and EPTB patients was 84.2%, 14.3% and 14.3%, respectively. The overall sensitivity of the QFT-Plus assay (regardless PTB or EPTB) in children was 54.5%.
Conclusion
Although QFT-Plus had a good sensitivity in children having exclusive PTB, it had poor sensitivity in EPTB.
Rationale: The Southeast Asian tuberculosis burden is high, and it remains unclear if urban indoor air pollution in this setting is exacerbating the epidemic.Objectives: To determine the associations of latent tuberculosis with common urban indoor air pollution sources (secondhand smoke, indoor motorcycle emissions, and cooking) in Southeast Asia.
Methods:We enrolled child household contacts of patients with microbiologically confirmed active tuberculosis in Vietnam, from July 2017 to December 2019. We tested children for latent tuberculosis and evaluated air pollution exposures with questionnaires and personal aerosol sampling. We tested hypotheses using generalized estimating equations.Conclusions: Common urban indoor air pollution sources were associated with increased odds of latent tuberculosis infection in child household contacts of patients with active tuberculosis.
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