Impact of Psychosocial Factors on the Risk Behaviour of HIV Positive Homosexual Men in India: A Qualitative Exploration

The epidemic of HIV can be attributed to bring out multiple issues around sexuality out of the closet. The biggest such issue India faced is the acceptance of homosexuality. However, the irony is that despite it becoming acceptable at the legal front, acceptance at the social front is lagging behind. This is topped with the fact that behaviour is the main driver of HIV AIDS epidemic. Men having sex with men (MSM) are one of the key population groups with whom interventions for HIV prevention are targeted and their behaviour is closely monitored and aimed to be changed. Behaviour change is one such approach which is found to be effective in HIV prevention work. How behaviour change communication is failing while working with the men having sex with men (MSM) is explored by a mixed method research. In a society dominated by heterosexuality; homosexuals are a segment that is largely oppressed for being a sexual minority community. As the socialization process too prepared them to continue to play the role defined by the biological sex they are born with, they understand that they are special when they realize that they are attracted to same-sex persons and thus their dilemma and oppression starts. How socio cultural environment of the India promotes oppressive practices that further push them to risk behaviour is explored in the paper.