Data on HIV/AIDS Reported by Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.(Report)

Investigators publish new data in the report 'Boys must be men, and men must have sex with women: a qualitative CBPR study to explore sexual risk among African American, Latino, and White gay men and MSM.' "Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. This study was designed to explore sexual risk among MSM using community-based participatory research (CBPR)," investigators in Winston Salem, United States report (see also HIV/AIDS).

"An academic-community partnership conducted nine focus groups with 88 MSM. Participants self-identified as African American/Black (n=28), Hispanic/Latino (n=33), White (n=21), and biracial/ethnic (n=6). The mean age was 27 years (range=18-60 years). Grounded theory was used. Twelve themes related to HIV risk emerged, including low knowledge of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, particularly among Latino MSM and MSM who use the Internet for sexual networking; stereotyping of African American MSM as sexually 'dominant' and Latino MSM as less likely to be HIV infected; and the eroticization of 'barebacking.' Twelve intervention approaches also were identified, including developing culturally congruent programming using community-identified assets, harnessing social media used by informal networks of MSM, and promoting protection within the context of intimate relationships," wrote S.D. Rhodes and colleagues, Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

The researchers concluded: "A community forum was held to develop recommendations and move these themes to action."

Rhodes and colleagues published their study in American Journal of Men's Health (Boys must be men, and men must have sex with women: a qualitative CBPR study to explore sexual risk among African American, Latino, and White gay men and MSM. American Journal of Men's Health, 2011;5(2):140-51).

For additional information, contact S.D. Rhodes, Dept. of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1063, United States.

The publisher of the American Journal of Men's Health can be contacted at: SAGE Publications, USA , 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA.

Keywords: City:Winston Salem, State:North Carolina, Country:United States, Region:North and Central America, HIV Infections, HIV/AIDS, Primate Lentiviruses, RNA Viruses, Retroviridae, Risk and Prevention, Vertebrate Viruses, Viral Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

This article was prepared by Science Letter editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Science Letter via NewsRx.com.