HIV Testing Among Sexually Active Hispanic/Latino MSM in Miami-Dade County and New York City: Opportunities for Increasing Acceptance and Frequency of Testing

HIV testing behavior is important in understanding the high rates of undiagnosed infection among Hispanic/ Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). Correlates of repeat/recent testing (within the past year and ≥5 tests during lifetime) and test avoidance (never or \u3e5 years earlier) were examined among 608 sexually active Hispanic/Latino MSM (Miami-Dade County and New York City). Those who reported repeat/recent testing were more likely to have incomes over $30,000, speak English predominately, and have visited and disclosed same-sex behavior to a health care provider (HCP) in the past year. Those who were classified as test avoiders were less likely to have incomes over$10,000 and to have seen an HCP in the past year. The main reason for not testing (in both groups) was fear of HIV positivity; however, twice as many test avoiders considered this their main reason, and more test avoiders had confidentiality concerns. Results suggest that messages to encourage testing among Hispanic/ Latino MSM may be most effective if past testing patterns and reasons for not testing are considered. HCPs can play an important role by consistently offering HIV tests to MSM and tailoring messages based on prior testing histories

Unhealthy environments, unhealthy consequences: Experienced homonegativity and HIV infection risk among young men who have sex with men

Unfavourable social environments can negatively affect the health of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). We described how experienced homonegativity – negative perceptions and treatment that MSM encounter due to their sexual orientations – can increase HIV vulnerability among young MSM. Participants (n = 44) were young MSM diagnosed with HIV infection during January 2006–June 2009. All participants completed questionnaires that assessed experienced homonegativity and related factors (e.g. internalised homonegativity). We focus this analysis on qualitative interviews in which a subset of participants (n = 28) described factors that they perceived to have placed them at risk for HIV infection. Inductive content analysis identified themes within qualitative interviews, and we determined the prevalence of homonegativity and related factors using questionnaires. In qualitative interviews, participants reported that young MSM commonly experienced homonegativity. They described how homonegativity generated internalised homonegativity, HIV stigma, silence around homosexuality, and forced housing displacement. These factors could promote HIV risk. Homonegative experiences were more common among young Black (vs. non-Black) MSM who completed questionnaires. Results illustrate multiple pathways through which experienced homonegativity may increase HIV vulnerability among young MSM. Interventions that target homonegativity might help to reduce the burden of HIV within this population