scholarly journals Adaptation of a Group-Based HIV RISK Reduction Intervention to a Mobile App for Young Sexual Minority Men

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 449-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Schnall ◽  
Lisa M. Kuhns ◽  
Marco A. Hidalgo ◽  
Dakota Powell ◽  
Jennie Thai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Software Development ◽  
Expert Panel ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Intervention Content ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Panel Review

There is a dearth of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions for very young men who have sex with men (YMSM) ages 13–18 years, at high risk for HIV. We adapted the MyPEEPS intervention—an evidence-based, group-level intervention—to individual-level delivery by a mobile application. We used an expert panel review, in-depth interviews with YMSM (n = 40), and weekly meetings with the investigative team and the software development company to develop the mobile app. The expert panel recommended changes to the intervention in the following areas: (1) biomedical interventions, (2) salience of intervention content, (3) age group relevance, (4) technical components, and (5) stigma content. Interview findings reflected current areas of focus for the intervention and recommendations of the expert panel for new content. In regular meetings with the software development firm, guiding principles included development of dynamic content, while maintaining fidelity of the original curriculum and shortening intervention content for mobile delivery.

Evidence-Based Approaches to HIV-Positive Sexual Minority Men’s Sexual Health

2019 ◽  
pp. 339-358
Author(s):  
Audrey Harkness ◽  
Steven A. Safren
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Health ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Viral Load Suppression ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
State Of Research

This chapter reviews the current state of research and theory regarding evidence-based sexual health interventions for HIV-positive sexual minority men. Among HIV-positive sexual minority men, sexual health promotion includes reducing sexual behavior that could lead to HIV transmission, increasing adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) medication to attain viral load suppression, and addressing psychosocial and contextual factors that impact both of these health behaviors. The chapter reviews evidence-based behavioral approaches to promote sexual minority men’s sexual health, including those focused on increasing condom use, reducing sexual risk, and improving communication about HIV status. It also discusses interventions to improve ART adherence, which promote HIV-positive sexual minority men’s personal health and serve as a secondary prevention intervention via reducing transmissibility. The chapter concludes with an illustration of an evidence-based intervention with an HIV-positive client. Overarching clinical implications and areas for future research regarding HIV-positive sexual minority men’s sexual health are also discussed.

Evidence-Based Practice for the Prevention and Treatment of Body Image Disturbance and Eating Pathology in Sexual Minority Men

2019 ◽  
pp. 291-312
Author(s):  
Aaron J. Blashill ◽  
Tiffany A. Brown ◽  
Patrycja Klimek
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Body Image ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Eating Pathology ◽  
High Risk Group ◽  
Body Image Disturbance ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Minority Men

Eating disorders are serious mental health disorders that are associated with significant medical and psychiatric comorbidities, and they have one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disorder. Although considerable research has demonstrated that sexual minority males represent a high-risk group for eating disorders and body image disturbance, less research has been conducted on evidence-based practice for this population. This chapter describes the prevalence of body image disturbance and eating pathology/disorders among sexual minority men. Next, it reviews leading theoretical models that explain these concerns among sexual minority men, including objectification theory, tripartite theory, and sexual minority stress theory. It then discusses clinical interventions and prevention programs tailored to sexual minority men and briefly reviews leading treatment packages for eating pathology in the general population. A case example of enhanced cognitive–behavioral therapy with a hypothetical sexual minority male patient is presented. The chapter concludes with future directions.

scholarly journals It’s in Me to Give: Canadian Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men’s Willingness to Donate Blood If Eligible Despite Feelings of Policy Discrimination

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (14) ◽  
pp. 2234-2247
Author(s):  
Daniel Grace ◽  
Mark Gaspar ◽  
Benjamin Klassen ◽  
David Lessard ◽  
David J. Brennan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Donation ◽  
Sexual Citizenship ◽  
Repair Work ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Willingness To Donate ◽  
Aids Crisis ◽  
Biological Citizenship ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Hiv Negative

Blood donation policies governing men who have sex with men have shifted significantly over time in Canada—from an initial lifetime ban in the wake of the AIDS crisis to successive phases of time-based deferment requiring periods of sexual abstinence (5 years to 1 year to 3 months). We interviewed 39 HIV-negative gay, bisexual, queer, and other sexual minority men (GBM) in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal to understand their willingness to donate blood if eligible. Transcripts were coded following inductive thematic analysis. We found interrelated and competing expressions of biological and sexual citizenship. Most participants said they were “safe”/“low risk” and “willing” donors and would gain satisfaction and civic pride from donation. Conversely, a smaller group neither prioritized the collectivizing biological citizenship goals associated with expanding blood donation access nor saw this as part of sexual citizenship priorities. Considerable repair work is required by Canada’s blood operators to build trust with diverse GBM communities.

scholarly journals Psychosocial Challenges and Protective Factors Among MSM Living with HIV: An Integrative Review of the Literature Using an Intersectional Framework

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Theodore Amato ◽  
Gilbert Émond
Keyword(s):  
Protective Factors ◽  
Minority Stress ◽  
Internalized Homophobia ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Integrative Review ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Intersecting Identities ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
Sex With Men

Objective: Given the emerging data on intersecting identities involving men who have sex with men (MSM) with respect to various factors, there lies a need to include one’s human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status in this intersection, given the experience of stigmatization and inequalities. This integrative review covers psychosocial risk and protective factors experienced by MSM of HIV-positive status, while also considering other intersecting identities (e.g., ethnicity, older age). Method: Following a standardized search inquiry, 2139 records were identified and narrowed down to 24 peer reviewed articles. Results: Psychological and social protective factors such as positive mental health outcomes; lessened or resolved internalized homophobia; social networks in younger and older MSM, with a discussion on the contextually relevant impact that religion has among Black MSM. Some risk factors such as co-occurring stigmas, psychological distress, exposure to violence, and trauma are explained.Implications: These immediate findings highlight factors that contribute to resilient pathways among ethnic minorities, and of other intersections among sexual minority men. In order to mitigate risks, developing tailoredinterventions with a focus on co-occurring and syndemic stigmas is crucial, to help ensure the psychological and social well-being of diverse HIV-positive MSM. An adapted version to the minority stress model is thus presented.

scholarly journals “That’s Only for Women”: The Importance of Educating HIV-Positive Sexual Minority Men on HPV and High Resolution Anoscopy (HRA)

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 232595822110161
Author(s):  
Catherine Finneran ◽  
Jason Johnson Peretz ◽  
Danielle Blemur ◽  
Joel Palefsky ◽  
Lisa Flowers
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Male Health ◽  
Anorectal Cancer ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Prostate Health

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) experience disproportionately high burdens of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-associated anal cancers. Recent focus has shifted to anorectal cancer prevention through high-resolution anoscopy (HRA); however, little is known about sexual minority men’s perceptions, attitudes, or beliefs regarding HRA. We conducted 4 qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) (n = 15) with sexual minority men, focusing on their beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of undergoing HRA. Participants discussed their experiences of HPV/HRA as influenced by both their gender and sexuality, including unawareness of HPV disease as a male health issue, challenges relating to female-oriented HPV/HRA language, conception of HPV/HRA as related to prostate health, and connecting their sexual behavior identification as “bottoms” to their need for HRA. As efforts to improve HRA knowledge, access, and uptake among sexual and gender minority communities increase, special attention should be paid to language and messaging choices around HRA.

scholarly journals A Community-Developed, Web-Based Mobile App Intervention Addressing Social Work and Legal Needs of Black Sexual Minority Men Living With HIV: Protocol for a Randomized Comparison Trial (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayako Miyashita Ochoa ◽  
Christian Corpuz Paneda ◽  
Elizabeth SC Wu ◽  
Katherine Elizabeth Maxwell ◽  
Gerald Garth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Support ◽  
Viral Suppression ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Comparison Trial ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
Hiv Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Living With Hiv

BACKGROUND Black sexual minority men (BSMM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Los Angeles County (LAC) carries a substantial burden of the HIV epidemic in California. Negative effects of both psychosocial and structural barriers highlight the timely need to increase HIV treatment among BSMM. Successful HIV interventions based on social media and mobile phone technology have been demonstrated. This protocol describes LINX LA, a study that tests LINX, a web-based mobile app that provides tailored social services, legal resources, and peer support for BSMM living with HIV (BSMM+) in LAC using a randomized comparison trial. OBJECTIVE During phase 1, the LINX LA study aims to engage in an iterative design process to develop the LINX App using qualitative data to inform and tailor the mobile app technology and its functionality. In phase 2 of LINX LA, we will test the efficacy of the LINX App compared with the LINX App Plus to improve HIV treatment outcomes (ie, antiretroviral therapy adherence, viral suppression) among BSMM+ in LAC by addressing social work and legal needs and developing a forum for peer support. METHODS In this study funded by the California HIV/AIDS Research Program, we will recruit and enroll BSMM+ participants (aged ≥18 years) in LAC (N=400) to participate in a 12-month study that includes access to the LINX App, which provides a forum for peer support and tailored content aimed at improving the use of social and legal resources. All participants will also receive survey-based interviews at 3 time points (at baseline and 6- and 12-month intervals) and weekly text message surveys that assess medication and treatment adherence. Treatment adherence and viral suppression will be extracted from medical record data. Half of the participants will also be randomly assigned to receive 3 individualized coaching sessions (at 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals) and the ability to directly message their coach via the LINX App. Over the course of the study, LINX App participants will receive a minimum of US $130 in cash and LINX App Plus participants will receive a minimum of US $190. We hypothesize that participants enrolled in LINX App Plus will demonstrate greater improvement in HIV outcomes compared with LINX App participants. RESULTS The LINX study will test the efficacy of a web-based mobile app intervention for BSMM+ in LAC (N=400). The LINX App seeks to increase participants’ knowledge of HIV; to facilitate access to necessary social and legal services, including information and referrals; and to increase social support across participants by providing a mediated forum for engagement. CONCLUSIONS The implementation of LINX LA aims to develop and test a culturally tailored approach to improve the HIV treatment outcomes of BSMM+. CLINICALTRIAL INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT PRR1-10.2196/19770

scholarly journals A Community-Developed, Web-Based Mobile App Intervention Addressing Social Work and Legal Needs of Black Sexual Minority Men Living With HIV: Protocol for a Randomized Comparison Trial

10.2196/19770 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e19770
Author(s):  
Ayako Miyashita Ochoa ◽  
Christian Corpuz Paneda ◽  
Elizabeth SC Wu ◽  
Katherine Elizabeth Maxwell ◽  
Gerald Garth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Support ◽  
Viral Suppression ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Comparison Trial ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
Hiv Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Living With Hiv

Background Black sexual minority men (BSMM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Los Angeles County (LAC) carries a substantial burden of the HIV epidemic in California. Negative effects of both psychosocial and structural barriers highlight the timely need to increase HIV treatment among BSMM. Successful HIV interventions based on social media and mobile phone technology have been demonstrated. This protocol describes LINX LA, a study that tests LINX, a web-based mobile app that provides tailored social services, legal resources, and peer support for BSMM living with HIV (BSMM+) in LAC using a randomized comparison trial. Objective During phase 1, the LINX LA study aims to engage in an iterative design process to develop the LINX App using qualitative data to inform and tailor the mobile app technology and its functionality. In phase 2 of LINX LA, we will test the efficacy of the LINX App compared with the LINX App Plus to improve HIV treatment outcomes (ie, antiretroviral therapy adherence, viral suppression) among BSMM+ in LAC by addressing social work and legal needs and developing a forum for peer support. Methods In this study funded by the California HIV/AIDS Research Program, we will recruit and enroll BSMM+ participants (aged ≥18 years) in LAC (N=400) to participate in a 12-month study that includes access to the LINX App, which provides a forum for peer support and tailored content aimed at improving the use of social and legal resources. All participants will also receive survey-based interviews at 3 time points (at baseline and 6- and 12-month intervals) and weekly text message surveys that assess medication and treatment adherence. Treatment adherence and viral suppression will be extracted from medical record data. Half of the participants will also be randomly assigned to receive 3 individualized coaching sessions (at 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals) and the ability to directly message their coach via the LINX App. Over the course of the study, LINX App participants will receive a minimum of US $130 in cash and LINX App Plus participants will receive a minimum of US $190. We hypothesize that participants enrolled in LINX App Plus will demonstrate greater improvement in HIV outcomes compared with LINX App participants. Results The LINX study will test the efficacy of a web-based mobile app intervention for BSMM+ in LAC (N=400). The LINX App seeks to increase participants’ knowledge of HIV; to facilitate access to necessary social and legal services, including information and referrals; and to increase social support across participants by providing a mediated forum for engagement. Conclusions The implementation of LINX LA aims to develop and test a culturally tailored approach to improve the HIV treatment outcomes of BSMM+. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/19770

scholarly journals Understanding Patterns of Healthy Aging Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for an Observational Cohort Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E Egan ◽  
Sabina A Haberlen ◽  
Steven Meanley ◽  
Deanna Ware ◽  
Andre L Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Observational Cohort Study ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Health And Illness ◽  
Observational Cohort ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Sex With Men

BACKGROUND With the graying of sexual and gender minority communities and the growing number of people aged ≥50 years living with HIV, it is increasingly important to understand resilience in the context of the psychosocial aspects of aging and aging well. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to describe the methods and sample for the <i>Understanding Patterns of Healthy Aging Among Men Who Have Sex With Men</i> study<i>.</i> METHODS This observational cohort study was conducted within the Multisite AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) and was designed to explore resiliencies to explain patterns of health and illness among middle-aged and older sexual minority men. To be eligible, a participant had to be an active participant in the MACS, be at least 40 years of age as of April 1, 2016, and report any sex with another man since enrollment in the MACS. RESULTS Eligible participants (N=1318) completed six biannual surveys between April 2016 and April 2019. The mean age of the sample was 59.6 years (range 40-91 years). The sample was mostly White, educated, gay-identified, and included both HIV-positive (656/1318, 49.77%) and HIV-negative (662/1318, 50.23%) men. CONCLUSIONS Understanding resiliencies in aging is a critical springboard for the development of more holistic public health theories and interventions that support healthy aging among older sexual minority men. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR1-10.2196/25750

scholarly journals ‘I was just doing what a normal gay man would do, right?’: The biopolitics of substance use and the mental health of sexual minority men

2021 ◽  
pp. 136345932199675
Author(s):  
Mark Gaspar ◽  
Zack Marshall ◽  
Barry D. Adam ◽  
David J. Brennan ◽  
Joseph Cox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Sexual Minority Men ◽  
Health Aid ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Minority Men ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Alcohol And Other Drugs ◽  
The Relationship

Drawing on 24 interviews conducted with gay, bisexual, queer and other men who have sex with men (GBM) living in Toronto, Canada, we examined how they are making sense of the relationship between their mental health and substance use. We draw from the literature on the biopolitics of substance use to document how GBM self-regulate and use alcohol and other drugs (AODC) as technologies of the self. Despite cultural understandings of substance use as integral to GBM communities and subjectivity, GBM can be ambivalent about their AODC. Participants discussed taking substances positively as a therapeutic mental health aid and negatively as being corrosive to their mental wellbeing. A fine line was communicated between substance use being self-productive or self-destructive. Some discussed having made ‘problematic’ or ‘unhealthy’ drug-taking decisions, while others presented themselves as self-controlled, responsible neoliberal actors doing ‘what a normal gay man would do’. This ambivalence is related to the polarizing binary community and scientific discourses on substances (i.e. addiction/healthy use, irrational/rational, uncontrolled/controlled). Our findings add to the critical drug literature by demonstrating how reifying and/or dismantling the coherency of such substance use binaries can serve as a biopolitical site for some GBM to construct their identities and demonstrate healthy, ‘responsible’ subjectivity.

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