What's going on?: Public health challenges and solutions for improving black male health

Background. This presentation is part of a larger panel session organized by the Black Young Professionals' Public Health Network (the NETWORK). The NETWORK is an organization established to enhance career networking opportunities and scholarly exchange among African American public health students and professionals at APHA and in the public health field. The stronghold of the NETWORK's APHA Program is the informative panel session on the professional development of persons of color in the public health field.

Methods. Panelists will describe the current health status of black men in the US, based on their respective areas of expertise, and identify contextual factors that function in the maintenance of racial and ethnic disparities. Additionally, they will share lessons learned from past health disparities work in these areas and what young, black men in the public health field can do to help eliminate these disparities.

Results. The invited panelist will present his findings and experiences as a public health researcher whose work focuses on the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. This panelist will: 1) tackle complex issues at the intersection of race, gender, and sexuality in order to explain the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS among men who have sex with men; and 2) challenge oversimplified explanations of black men who have sex with men as being the sole perpetuators of the racial and ethnic health disparities in HIV/AIDS incidence. Furthermore, the invited panelist will present research demonstrating the need for the public health and medical communities to develop a better understanding of the structural and social barriers contributing to the underutilization of healthcare services and issues of non-disclosure in this population. The invited panelist's presentation will include recommendations for effective recruitment and sampling strategies for HIV/AIDS-related studies involving black men who have sex with men.

Conclusions. The invited panelist will make a significant contribution to this panel by: 1) providing audience members with a better understanding of how racism and homophobia contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in sexual health; and 2) sharing “best practices” for studies targeting black men who have sex with men.