Coalition building by drug user and sex worker community-based organizations in Vietnam can lead to improved interactions with government agencies: a qualitative study

Drug users and female sex workers are among the groups most vulnerable to HIV infection in Vietnam. To address the HIV epidemic within these communities, former drug users and sex workers established the first community-based organizations (CBOs) in 2009. The study provides a focused assessment of C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Harm reduction journal 2015-10, Vol.12 (1), p.38-38, Article 38
Main Authors: Le, Leah T, Grau, Lauretta E, Nguyen, Huong H, Khuat, Oanh Hai T, Heimer, Robert
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
Administrative agencies
Adult
AIDS
Analysis
Capacity Building
Capacity development
Community Health Planning
Cooperative Behavior
Disease susceptibility
Drug abuse
Drug interactions
Drug Users
Epidemics
Female
Government Agencies
Government programs
Harm Reduction
Health aspects
Health care industry
Health Promotion
HIV
HIV infection
HIV Infections - prevention & control
Human immunodeficiency virus
Humans
Infection
Interviews as Topic
Male
Methadone
Middle Aged
Nonprofit organizations
Organizations
Program Evaluation
Prostitution
Public officials
Qualitative Research
Quality of life
Quotas
Risk factors
Sex industry
Sex oriented businesses
Sex Workers
Sexually transmitted diseases
STD
Vietnam
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Summary:Drug users and female sex workers are among the groups most vulnerable to HIV infection in Vietnam. To address the HIV epidemic within these communities, former drug users and sex workers established the first community-based organizations (CBOs) in 2009. The study provides a focused assessment of CBOs' expanding efforts to advocate for their members that identifies existing collaborations with Vietnamese government programs. This assessment explores the barriers to and facilitators of expansion in order to propose recommendations to improve the working relationship between CBOs and government programs. Thirty-two individuals from drug user and sex worker CBOs (n = 24) and relevant government programs (n = 8) participated in face-to-face interviews in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong. Coded interview transcripts were analyzed qualitatively concerning the purpose of CBOs, the interactions between CBOs and government programs, and the perceived barriers, facilitators, and feasibility of future CBO-government program collaborations. Services provided by the CBOs were considered to improve members' quality of life. The formation of coalitions among CBOs increased efficiency in meeting members' specific service needs, in addition to internal capacity building. Government field staff interacted with CBOs by providing CBOs with technical and legal support. CBOs and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics collaborated to help the clinics meet patient enrollment quotas and facilitate entry into treatment for CBO members. Barriers to CBO-government program collaboration included perceived conflicting missions on how to address drug use and sex work in the community, limited CBO-government program communication, CBO mistrust of the MMT system, and lack of legal status for CBOs. To reduce these barriers, we recommend (1) introduction of CBO consultative services at government healthcare centers, (2) enlistment of CBO outreach to ensure full access to the imminent scaled-up MMT program, and (3) establishment of standards by which CBOs can obtain legal status.
ISSN:1477-7517
1477-7517
DOI:10.1186/s12954-015-0070-1