- Title
- Exploring HIV prevention with chaay rak chaay (gay men) in Bangkok-a nursing ethnography
- Creator
- Pongtriang, Praditporn
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2016
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- This doctoral ethnographic research project aimed to explore the experience of chaay rak chaay in Bangkok who are at risk of contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection via unprotected sexual encounters with other men who have sex with men. The study is qualitative and was conducted in Bangkok, Thailand during the period May-September 2014. Bangkok was chosen for the research because it has the highest incidence of HIV infection (19.8%) in comparison to other Thailand provinces and cities. Thirty-one participants in this study attended the Niranam clinic as scheduled for their routine care. Participants for the project were recruited by purposive sampling, participants had to: (1) identify themselves as either “Chaay rak chaay(ชายรักชาย)/ Rak ruaam phet (รักร่วมเพศ)” “gay” (เกย์) “King (คิง) /Rook (รุก)” “Queen (ควีน) /Rub (รับ)” “Both (โบ๊ท) /Quing (ควิง)” “Bai (ไบ) /Suea bi (เสือไบ)” or “kathoey (กะเทย)/tut (ตุ๊ด)”; and (2) Be 18 years of age or over; and Thai speaking. Potential Participants were invited to take part in face to face semi-structured, in-depth, digitally recorded interviews. Furthermore, eight entertainment venues throughout Bangkok were visited for non-participant observations. In order to gather rich observational data, entertainment venues were chosen with diverse characteristics and that were popular in the Bangkok gay community. The chosen venues were also suggested as suitable for conducting the research by the director of the Bangkok Rainbow Organization. The inductive content analysis of all data, including participant interviews, field work observations and notes, and from the researchers personal reflective diary entries present the essential subcultural issues relevant to the chaay rakchaay’s experience in this study. The findings from the in-depth interviews and non-participant observation episodes have been merged to highlight the significant points in relation to HIV concerns. The following features are the key findings: 1. A variety of sexual identity and unique characteristics have been identified throughout the Bangkok gay male community. ; 2. Most chaay rak chaay participants use smart phone applications to cruise for sexual partners. This use of a smart phone enables gay men to meet other gay men to increase the opportunity for sexual activity. In some cases participants describe it can happen with multiple partners. ; 3. The field work observations revealed that most entertainment venues provide an event related sexual purpose that openly induces sexual stimulation and sexual desire in their gay male customers. The participants spoke about the artificiality of venues where alcohol led to intoxication which then placed them at a higher risk of engaging in unsafe sexual activities. ; 4. Discrimination and stigma are commonly displayed toward the Bangkok gay male fraternity. Men exhibiting effeminate behaviours and feminine expression can expose them to the negative effects of public ignorance and effect their interpersonal connections with others. ; 5. Self-esteem plays an important part in enabling gay men to participate comfortably in society and to lead a ‘normal’ life. The study found the gay participants who accepted themselves as being gay had a stronger self-esteem and were able to be gay in a positive way. ; 6. Many participants reinforced the need for specific clinics and information for the gay male community in Bangkok. In order to meet their needs and improve HIV prevention throughout this group. Furthermore, chaay rak chaay participants commonly described privacy concerns as a barrier to accessing health care services when interviewed for this study. The research findings are considered beneficial in relation to the reduction in the incidence of new HIV infections and may assist to develop an essential health promotion strategy such as providing HIV education and developing relevant websites to improve the lives of HIV positive men but also to educate men at risk of contracting HIV. Further studies can be more deeply embedded in the subculture of gay men and further explore particular identities and characteristics in the study of HIV infected individuals and their sexual preferences.
- Subject
- HIV; gay men; prevention; sexual risk behaviour; health promotion
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1318445
- Identifier
- uon:23626
- Rights
- Copyright 2016 Praditporn Pongtriang
- Language
- eng
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 3 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 239 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |