Below is an article that speaks about why there may be such huge differences between black and white gay men when it comes to HIV infection. There is a lot of speculation as to why there is such inequality between gay black and white men and HIV: incarceration, circumcision, how long someone had been infected, sex with someone of unknown HIV status.
What I found interesting is when these investigators looked at over 5,000 gay men what they found was most of that wasn’t the problem. It would seem that not knowing the status of partners and the fact that black gay men were less likely to be on medication to treat their HIV were, at least in part, the problem.
So the investigators are encouraging gay men, and especially black gay men to communicate about HIV with potential partners and then, we as an agency need to look at how we can reduce the barriers of treatment to black males living with HIV.
Personally, my thought is that STIGMA is the single strongest barrier to treatment, testing and reducing the transmission of HIV and until we can remove the power of stigma we will continue to experience these kinds of disheartening gaps in who the virus in infecting.
So take this challenge, talk to someone today about HIV. Talk about the the people it is infecting, talk about what CARES is doing, talk about how sad you feel that people are not comfortable discussing HIV. TALK, TALK, TALK. Talk away the fear and ignorance stigma produces and encourage others to do so.
Pat
Be The Change
UNITED STATES: ”Understanding Disparities in HIV Infection Between Black and White MSM in the United States”
AIDS Vol. 25; No. 8: P. 1103-1112 (06.15.11):: Alexandra Oster and others
The investigators sought to evaluate several hypotheses for HIV infection disparities between white and black men who have sex with men, including incarceration, partner HIV status, circumcision, sexual networks, and duration of infectiousness. The study design incorporated the 2008 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, a cross-sectional survey performed in 21 US cities.
MSM were interviewed and tested for HIV. For previously undiagnosed MSM, logistic regression was used to test associations between newly diagnosed HIV and incarceration history, partner HIV status, circumcision status, and sexual networks (oldest partners, concurrency and partner risk behaviors). For HIV-positive MSM, factors related to duration of infectiousness were assessed.
Among 5,183 previously undiagnosed MSM, incarceration history, circumcision status, and sexual networks were not independently associated with HIV infection. Infection was associated with having HIV-positive partners (adjusted odds ratio=1.9, 95 percent confidence interval=1.2-3.0) or partners of unknown status (AOR=1.4, CI=1.1-1.7). “Of these two factors, only one was more common among black MSM – having partners of unknown HIV status. Among previously diagnosed HIV-positive MSM, black MSM were less likely to be on antiretroviral therapy (ART),” the authors wrote.
HIV infection differences between black and white MSM may partly be explained by less knowledge of partner HIV status and lower ART use among black MSM, the investigators concluded. “Efforts to encourage discussions about HIV status between MSM and their partners and decrease barriers to ART provision among black MSM may decrease transmission,” they noted.
This article in the Wall Street Journal states again how uninfected individuals taking HIV medications reduce their chances of contracting the virus. It also states that individuals who are infected and treating are 96% less likely to transmit HIV, than those not yet on HIV medications.
click here
CARES would like to acknowledge everyone’s support and good will towards CARES on behalf of Jim Knox. CARES is pleased to receive contributions in memory of Mr. Knox. Contributions should be made out to “CARES”. All contributions will be used to support HIV education, free HIV testing, and support for individuals with HIV and their families.
