HIV Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about HIV, including details on human immunodeficiency virus, testing, treatment, prevention, vaccines, aids.

Preventing HIV among Latino and African American gay and bisexual men in a context of HIV-related stigma, discrimination, and homophobia: perspectives of providers.

Brooks RA, Etzel MA, Hinojos E, Henry CL, Perez M

Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Services Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA. rbrooks@mednet.ucla.edu

HIV-related stigma, discrimination, and homophobia impede community-based efforts to combat HIV disease among Latino and African American gay and bisexual men. This commentary highlights ways to address these social biases in communities of color in Los Angeles, California, from the perspectives of staff from HIV prevention programs. Information was collected from HIV prevention program staff participating in a 2-day symposium. The outcomes from the symposium offer strategies for developing and implementing HIV prevention services for Latino and African American gay and bisexual men, which include: (1) addressing social biases present in a community that can hinder, and even prohibit, utilization of effective HIV prevention programs; (2) recasting HIV prevention messages in a broader social or health context; (3) developing culturally appropriate HIV prevention messages; (4) exploring new modalities and venues for delivering HIV prevention messages that are appropriate for gay and bisexual men of color and the communities in which they live; and (5) broadening the target of HIV prevention services to include service providers, local institutions and agencies, and the community at-large. These strategies underscore the need to consider the social and contextual factors of a community when designing and implementing HIV prevention programs.

Published 14 November 2005 in AIDS Patient Care STDS, 19(11): 737-44.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 HIV Research Today. All Rights Reserved.