Nearly Half Unaware of Status; GMHC Calls for Increase in Prevention Interventions that Challenge Structural Barriers
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – New York, NY — Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new analysis indicating that 1 in 5 gay and bisexual men in a study of 21 major U.S. cities is infected with HIV, and that nearly half of these men (44%) are unaware of their status. Of the gay men studied, young men, blacks and Latinos were least likely to be aware of their status. Other findings of the report underscore the racial disparities that exist among gay men, with black gay men most disproportionately affected by the virus, and higher rates of HIV prevalence among communities with lower rates of education and income.
“We need to increase new approaches toward HIV prevention with gay men. Many of the current approaches are not working,” said Sean Cahill, PhD, Managing Director of Public Policy, Research, and Community Health at Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC). “The jump in new HIV infections among young gay men is part of a broader decline in sexual health for the nation as a whole. Nearly 20 million Americans got a sexually transmitted disease last year, and half of them are 15 to 24 years old. We must get real about providing age-appropriate sexual health education in schools.”
In July, GMHC released a report titled Gay Men and HIV: An Urgent Priority, which examines factors contributing to HIV’s disproportionate impact on gay and bisexual men. The report recommends innovative and expanded prevention approaches, including:
* Address homophobia and anti-gay bias as public health threats that contribute to gay men’s heightened vulnerability to HIV infection;
* Promote family acceptance which strengthens the resiliency within gay youth to better negotiate safer sex practices;
* Support gay-affirming interventions and activities in schools, such as gay-straight alliances and anti-bullying curricula;
* Ensure that age-appropriate sex education programs are implemented and evaluated in schools.
“Research shows that anti-gay stigma is a structural driver of HIV vulnerability among gay men. We should recognize anti-gay prejudice as a public health threat that has public health effects,” added Cahill. “The CDC and state and local health departments must challenge anti-gay stigma and promote acceptance of gay people, including encouraging parents to accept and love their gay sons. Expanded testing campaigns are not enough.”
GMHC is a not-for-profit, volunteer-supported and community-based organization committed to national leadership in the fight against AIDS. We provide prevention and care services to men, women and families that are living with, or affected by, HIV/AIDS in New York City. We advocate for scientific, evidence-based public health solutions for hundreds of thousands worldwide.
For more information, please visit www.gmhc.org.
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