4) The interaction between research or intervention methods and cultural norms needs to be considered from the outset in planning studies or interventions. In the case of HIV, there needs to be specific attention to cultural norms for the disclosure of personal information. This is not always an easy task, as has been evident in Thailand, where studies of sexual behavior were largely absent before the HIV epidemic. Consequently, there was much concern about the kind of information that could be collected early in the epidemic (e.g., VanLandingham et al., 1994). The rapid evolution of methods in Thailand suggests what can happen where cultural norms do not entirely inhibit discussion of personal behavior and where a pragmatic approach is taken to testing different research methods.