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Help-seeking for AIDS high-risk sexual behavior among gay and bisexual African-American men
J L Peterson1, T J Coates, J A Catania
1Georgia State University, Department of Psychology, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
Insights
Gay and bisexual African-American men with HIV sought help for high-risk sexual behavior more often. Peers and professionals were the most helpful resources for HIV risk reduction.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Social Science
- Epidemiology
Background:
- HIV remains a significant public health concern, particularly among gay and bisexual men.
- Understanding help-seeking behaviors is crucial for effective HIV prevention and risk reduction strategies.
- The African American Men's Health Project provides longitudinal data on this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine help-seeking behaviors related to HIV high-risk sexual behavior.
- To investigate the association between HIV status and help-seeking among gay and bisexual African-American men.
- To identify preferred sources of help for concerns about HIV risk.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal survey of 318 gay and bisexual African-American men in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Data collected on help-seeking behaviors, sources of help, and HIV status.
- Statistical analysis to compare help-seeking between different HIV status groups.
Main Results:
- 36% of participants reported seeking help for HIV high-risk sexual behavior concerns.
- Peers and professionals were the most frequently sought and perceived helpful sources of support.
- HIV-seropositive men (39%) were more likely to seek help than HIV-seronegative or status-unknown men (25%).
- HIV-seropositive men, or those aware of their status, more frequently sought help from professionals and peers.
Conclusions:
- HIV status significantly influences help-seeking behaviors regarding high-risk sexual conduct.
- Targeted social support interventions should leverage peers and professionals to aid HIV risk reduction.
- Findings have implications for developing tailored support systems for gay and bisexual African-American men.
Abstract:
Help-seeking for AIDS high-risk sexual behavior and its association with HIV status were examined among 318 gay and bisexual men in the San Francisco Bay Area who participated in the African American Men's Health Project, a longitudinal survey of gay and bisexual African-American men. A third (36%) of the sample reported seeking help regarding their concerns about HIV high-risk sexual behavior. Peers and professionals were the most widely sought sources of help and the sources perceived to be the most helpful. Men (39%) who had received the HIV antibody test and who were HIV seropositive were more likely to seek help than men who were HIV seronegative or did not know their HIV status (25%). Furthermore, gay men who were HIV seropositive or who knew their serostatus were more likely to seek help from professionals and peers. Explanations for the differences in help-seeking by HIV-seropositive men are discussed with implications for the development of social support for HIV risk reduction among gay and bisexual African-American men.