The Health Needs of Gay Men with an Emphasis on the Psychosocial Needs: A Discussion of Literature, Using the VIPS Model

The aim of the study was to find areas that were important to highlight when collecting data for the nursing history and the nursing status of the gay male patient, with an emphasis on psychosocial issues. Literature was searched in the data-bases Psyc-Lit and CINAHL, and the results were presented using the VIPS model (Ehrenberg, Ehnfors, Thorell-Ekstrand 1996). Areas that need to be out in focus were: the coming out process, sexual behaviour and safer sex, lifestyle and significant other(s). To discuss issues related to sexuality is difficult both to patients and nurses, but could be relieved using the PLISSIT model (Annon 1977). When informing on safer sex, one must bear in mind the lifestyles like «the chosen family» (Henriksson 1995) and open relations. But also the «symbolic meaning» given to the unprotected anal intercourse by some, and where the cessation of the use of condoms symbolises trust and love, and that the relationship is for real-«risk factor love» (Henriksson 1995, Linder 1996).