From peasant society to manufacturing society : how change aggravates HIV and AIDS among youth in Vietnam

Abstract: Since the early 1990's when the first cases of HIV were found in Vietnam, thenumber of people infected with HIV has been increasing. Over half of theVietnamese population is under the age of 25 and 78.9% of the reported cases ofHIV are people between the ages of 20 and 39. This thesis work has beenundertaken to evaluate whether there is a need to focus more on the youth in termsof prevention within HIV and AIDS related to the move from a peasant society to amore industrialised society.To investigate this, a literature desk study was carried out supported by keyinformant interviews and a small questionnaire.It was found that specifically the HIV and AIDS law, stigma, discrimination, genderroles, and risk-behaviour of migrants and the Vietnamese youth were importantfactors linked with vulnerability and livelihood change after doi moi.Although more research on a national level on the subject is needed, the findingsindicate that changes have happened since doi moi which influences the linkagesbetween livelihood change and HIV and AIDS vulnerability among the youth inVietnam.