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