A new discussion paper is aiming to increase awareness of some of the unique sexual health challenges experienced by Asian gay men who live in NSW, particularly men who have recently migrated to Australia.
Titled Effective HIV Prevention And Health Promotion Among Asian Gay And Homosexually Active Men In NSW, the paper outlines the impact of HIV on both Australian born and overseas born gay men from Asian cultural backgrounds, highlights the importance for ongoing discussion around their sexual health and relationships, and calls for new strategies to enhance effective HIV prevention and education among Asian gay men.
Produced by us the paper draws on research from a broad range of sources but in particular uses comparative data from the 1999, 2002 and 2015/16 Asian Gay Men’s Periodic Survey conducted by the CALD Gay Men Action Group in partnership with us and the Centre for Social Research in Health NSW. The paper shows that:
- Sexual practices and health seeking behaviours among Asian gay men in Sydney have changed substantially over recent years. Rates of condomless anal intercourse with casual partners (CAIC) has increased dramatically and now is on par with the general gay community with over 37% of 2015 survey respondents reporting CAIC compared to just over 14% in 2002.
- Asian gay men have caught up to the general gay population in terms of HIV testing , with 90% of 2015 survey respondents reporting having ever tested and over 80% reporting having tested in the last 12 months, an increase of 24% and 33% respectively compared to 2002.
- Over the past ten years, of the overseas-born HIV diagnosis in Australia attributable to male-to-male sex, the proportion of Asian-born (South-East, North and Southern) gay men has increased from 30% in 2006 to 57% in 2015.
Our CEO Nicolas Parkhill says the paper aims to underscore the vital importance of having current data and informed discussion to foster a contemporary, community-led and culturally relevant HIV response for Asian gay men. “Asian gay men are a dynamic and changing population with diverse health needs who comprise a growing proportion of NSW’s gay community,” Mr Parkhill says.
“Sexual practices, sexual identities and attitudes towards HIV among Asian gay men are rapidly changing, both for men living in Australia and in Asian countries, with implications for HIV prevention, treatment and care. However, while Asian gay men are more engaged with issues related to their sexual health, there are still a range of barriers preventing many from accessing appropriate care and support in relation to HIV.”
“Previous experiences of criminalisation, fear of disclosure, visa precariousness, Medicare ineligibility, experiences of racism and isolation, and of course language barriers, all affect their ability to negotiate safe sex and access testing and treatment options.”
The paper calls for range of strategies to enhance effective HIV prevention and education among Asian gay men, including:
- The need for regular community-based behavioural surveys among Asian gay men in NSW
- LGBTI inclusivity and diversity training for all service providers working with Asian gay men
- Expansion of community-based testing services and HIV prevention programs, and more multi-lingual staff at existing testing services
- Tailored and culturally relevant sexual health and HIV education resources and campaigns
- Changes to the legal environment regarding HIV disclosure, testing and Australia’s migration policies for people with HIV
To download a copy of the paper please visit: www.acon.org.au/what-we-are-here-for/policy-research/
ACON’s Asian Gay Men’s Project
The Asian Gay Men’s Project helps gay men from Asian cultural backgrounds take control of their health by providing a range of program, workshops, resources and events. Coming up is ConversAsians, a support group for gay men from all Asian backgrounds. ConversAsians is held at ACON, 414 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills. Find ACON’s Asian Gay Men’s Group at www.facebook.com/ACONAsianGayMensHealth or emial at asia@acon.org.au
ENDS