Background: Young African-American men who have sex with men (MSM) have the highest AIDS rates. Although they may not perceive themselves at risk, and often report fewer risk behaviors than other groups, their alarmingly high rates indicate unsafe sexual practices in this population. Objective: To explore psychosocial factors that contribute to high HIV prevalence among young African-American MSM. Methods: A sample of 549 MSM, ages 15-22, was obtained from 724 participants of the Los Angeles Young Men’s Survey (YMS), a venue-based probability survey conducted between 1994 and 1997. Participants were recruited from randomly sampled public venues, tested for HIV, and administered a detailed questionnaire. We examined the association between risk behaviors and psychosocial issues, including perceived risk and social support reported by young African-American MSM. Results: The overall HIV prevalence for MSM was 10%. Even though black participants reported fewer sex partners and more condom use than other groups, prevalence for African-Americans was 22%, compared to 9% for Latinos, and 4% for white participants. African-Americans were less likely to feel part of the gay community and more likely to feel that people of their ethnicity do not approve of homosexuals. Conclusion: While it is clear that African-American MSM are at high risk for HIV, they perceive their risk as low. African-American youth in our sample were more likely to feel disconnected from their home community as well as the gay community. This “dual-identity alienation” demands further study on how it may put African-American MSM at increased risk.
Learning Objectives: 1. Articulate rates of HIV among African-Americans and compare to rates of other races/ethnicities 2. Define "dual-identity alienation" as it applies to young African-American MSM 3. Discuss factors that contribute to high HIV rates among African-American MSM
Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Gay Men
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.