Older MSM Speak About Effective HIV-Prevention Initiatives

Despite HIV-prevention initiatives which began in the 1980s, each year more individuals become infected, including high-risk populations such as older adults (those 50 and older). Although prevention programs exist for other at-risk groups (e.g. African-American females, gay youth), none address the risk of sexually active older men who have sex with men (MSM). This poster presentation provides prevention strategies for this ever growing vulnerable population.

The impetus to conduct this study arose from a concern that men who experienced the beginning of the HIV/AIDS pandemic 30 years ago and had remained negative were now becoming positive.  Using a Grounded Theory approach, 22 participants from across the U.S. took part in semi-structured interviews describing their lives prior to and after the onset of the virus; their experiences with HIV-prevention; and their insight into new, effective prevention initiatives for their age cohort.

Findings suggest that changes need to be made in HIV-prevention to adequately reach and serve the older MSM community.  Several participants expressed dissatisfaction with current prevention initiatives and offered insight into content and dissemination methods -- with content explicitly being broken into two sections: “the self” and “HIV-Specific.”  The former consists of interpersonal skills necessary to improve prevention (e.g. self-love, self- image, & gay pride), while the latter focuses on HIV related content (e.g. knowledge of status, HIV-knowledge, & safer sex practices).  Such programs would provide the ever growing at-risk group of older MSM with appropriate and necessary skills to decrease at-risk behavior.