264311 A Multilevel Approach to Understanding HIV-Related Behavior among Asian/Pacific Islander Men who have Sex with Men: A Daily Process Study

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 3:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Judy Y. Tan, PhD , Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Felicia Pratto, PhD , University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology, Storrs, CT
Blair T. Johnson, PhD , Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Don Operario, PhD , Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI
Howard Tennen, PhD , Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
     
Background: Among Asian/Pacific Islander (API) men who have sex with men (MSM), an epidemiological conundrum exists whereby various levels of sexual risk-taking are matched with consistently low prevalence rates. The current study highlights how dimensions of racial and sexual identity made contentious by the gay male culture and degrading stereotypes (i.e., identity concerns) place API MSM at a disadvantage to affect sexual risk-taking behavior. The study employed a "daily diary" approach to obtain a contextualized look at how factors at multiple levels interact to impact daily risk behavior.

Method: Recruitment efforts targeted community-based organizations, events, media forums, and word-of-mouth. A total of 117 API MSM met eligibility criteria to participate in a three-week, online daily diary study, of whom 58 (M age = 26.90, SD = 6.09) met minimum criteria for inclusion in final multilevel analyses. Dimensions of social identity and psychosocial needs were assessed at baseline and over time, and geographical social climate indices were obtained from the ANES and linked to participant zip code, representing participant's social milieu.

Results: Results demonstrated (a) significant variability in daily stress, affiliation and sexual behaviors, and their relationships; (b) that identity concerns moderated the relationship between daily social affiliation and sexual risk-taking; and (c) that the degree of societal hostility toward Asians/gays/lesbians related meaningfully to identity dimensions.

Discussion: This is the first daily process study aimed to provide a contextualized understanding of HIV-vulnerability with a racial and sexual minority group. A socio-ecological model of HIV-Risk for API MSM is discussed.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
To identify and explain daily processes underlying sexual risk-behavior toward understanding disparities in HIV/AIDS.

Keywords: Asian and Pacific Islander, Gay Men

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I designed and implemented the study, and collected, analyzed, and prepared the data for publication.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4317.0: HIV in MSM/MSMW