Résumé
Context: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Senegal face a challenging socio-legal context, marked by homophobia and the illegality of homosexuality. In addition, HIV prevalence among MSM is 27.6%, 46 times greater than the one in the general population (0.5%). Nevertheless, access to health care by MSM may be hampered by stigmatising attitudes from health facility staff (medical and non-medical). // Aims and Methods: This article describes the health facility staff/MSM relationship and analyses its effects on access to healthcare by MSM. The data used was collected through a field survey based on observations and qualitative interviews conducted in 2019 and 2020 with 16 MSM, 1 NGO staff and 9 health care providers in Dakar (the capital city) and Mbour (secondary city on the West Coast) hospitals. The data was subject to a thematic analysis assisted by the ATLAS software. // Results: The relationship between MSM and health care providers is ambiguous. On the one hand, health care providers are torn between their professional duty to treat MSM and the cost of being stigmatised by other colleagues. Therefore, they often limit their empathy with MSM within the hospital context. On the other hand, MSM, trusting in the confidentiality of health care providers, feel safe in the care pathway. However, we identify the following stigmatising factors limiting access to care include: (1) fear of meeting a relative, (2) difficult relationships with non-medical support staff (mainly security guards), (3) HIV status disclosure and (4) potential conflicts with other MSM. // Conclusion: This study is unique as it includes non-medical staff in its respondents. It shows that hospitals are divided into several areas, based on the stigma perceived by MSM. It is important to map out MSM’s care trajectories and spaces and to identify all types of staff working within them, including non-medical staff, and enrol them in stigma reduction interventions.