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Stigma, substance use and sexual risk behaviors among HIV-infected men who have sex with men: A qualitative study
- Source :
- Preventive Medicine Reports
- Publication Year :
- 2016
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2016.
-
Abstract
- Background Public health HIV-service providers, including Medical Case Managers (case managers) and Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) have a key role to play in identifying and addressing clients' complex mental health needs and substance use which contribute to sexual risk behaviors, yet their understanding and its consensus with HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) have not been well characterized. Methods Together with an AIDS Service Organization and the Connecticut State Department of Public Health in 2011–2012, we conducted a focus group of case managers (n = 14) and interviewed DIS (n = 7) and HIV-infected MSM (n = 17) in Connecticut. We used the constant comparison method, grounded theory, and a community-based participatory approach to guide analysis. Results We identified three themes characterizing public health HIV-service providers' and MSM's perspectives regarding factors contributing to substance use and sexual risk behaviors in the context of HIV infection: 1) While both MSM and providers described a co-occurrence of HIV, stigma, substance use, and sexual risk behaviors, only MSM identified a causal relationship between these factors; 2) MSM and providers both described varying levels of self-efficacy in readiness to decrease substance use and sexual risk behaviors among MSM; both identified the social network as the key barrier to overcome; 3) Providers described how the co-occurrence of HIV, stigma and sexual risk behaviors leads to multi-faceted client needs for which they lacked sufficient training and collaboration. Conclusions Provider education, skills-based training, and interventions targeting social networks may decrease sexual risk behaviors among HIV-infected MSM.<br />Highlights • MSM recognize that HIV diagnosis may trigger substance use and sexual risk behaviors. • HIV-service providers inconsistently prepared to facilitate behavior change among MSM • Need social network-based interventions to decrease MSM's risk behaviors • Provider training on interventions & stages of change theory to address risk behaviors warranted
- Subjects :
- medicine.medical_specialty
Research paper
media_common.quotation_subject
Community-based participatory research
Stigma (botany)
Health Informatics
Disease
Men who have sex with men
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Qualitative research
medicine
030212 general & internal medicine
Homosexuality
Risk-taking
media_common
030505 public health
Men who have sex with men (MSM)
Public health
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
HIV
virus diseases
Mental health
3. Good health
0305 other medical science
Psychology
Clinical psychology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 22113355
- Volume :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Preventive Medicine Reports
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....3c16ab47b8d7ae5ed6aac0f0ea80c4bf