A Novel Measure of Poverty and its Association with Elevated Sexual Risk Behavior Among Young Black MSM

Objective: To determine whether a novel (single-item) measure of poverty is associated with elevated sexual risk behaviors among a clinic-based sample of young Black MSM who reside in a southern city with high HIV prevalence.

 Methods: A convenience sample of Black MSM (ages 16 through 29) attending a STD clinic completed a CASI. The questionnaire included an item asking whether men, “In the past 12 months have you missed meals because you did not have enough money to eat?” Contingency table analyses and t-tests were used to determine whether those answering yes to this question reported elevated sexual risk behaviors.

 Results: Of 398 men providing valid data, 98 (23.1%) had missed meals due to lack of money. These men were more likely to report: 1) concurrent partnerships (41.6% vs. 27.1%; P=.009), 2) transactional sex (18.5% vs. 5.2%; P<.0001), 3)  gay-related prejudice (mean score on a scale ranging from 1-4 = 2.60 vs. 2.06; P<.0001), 4) infected with  Chlamydia/gonorrhea (46.1% vs. 33.9%; P=.037),  and 5) being HIV-positive (36.5% vs. 25.4%; P=.045). Differences in frequency of past 90 days condomless anal sex as a TOP (30.1% vs. 28.8%%; P=.81) or as a BOTTOM (42.4% vs. 33.0%; P=.16) were not found.

 Conclusion: In this sample, this novel method of assessing poverty was associated with a range of risk behaviors. Consistent with this observation, these men were more likely to test positive for STIs and HIV. This measure, however, was not associated with condomless sex thus suggesting that the acquisition and use of condoms is disconnected to poverty