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Using Syndemics Theory to Examine HIV Sexual Risk Among Latinx Men Who Have Sex with Men in Philadelphia, PA: Findings from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance
Journal article   Open access

Using Syndemics Theory to Examine HIV Sexual Risk Among Latinx Men Who Have Sex with Men in Philadelphia, PA: Findings from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance

Omar Martinez, Kathleen A. Brady, Ethan Levine, Kathleen R. Page, Maria Cecilia Zea, Thespina J. Yamanis, Suzanne Grieb, Jennifer Shinefeld, Kasim Ortiz, Wendy W. Davis, …
EHQUIDAD, v 13
01 Jan 2020
PMID: 32095789
url
https://revistas.proeditio.com/ehquidad/article/download/3280/4054View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open
url
https://doi.org/10.15257/ehquidad.2020.0009View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Exchange sex Gay and bisexual Latinxs Hhigh-risk alcohol consumption HIV sexual risk behaviors Homophobia Syndemic conditions
Latinx men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. Identifying the role of multiple syndemic factors associated with sexual risk behaviors is imperative in order to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies. Cross-sectional data for this study were derived from three cycles of the Philadelphia portion of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System. This study explored the impact of syndemic factors – heavy drinking, exchange sex, and homophobic discrimination – on sexual HIV risk behaviors, operationalized as number of male partners, and condomless anal intercourse (CAI) with main and casual partners among Latinx MSM ( n =464). Analyses took two forms: a syndemic approach, using the cumulative number of conditions as an independent variable; and a non-syndemic approach, incorporating each condition as a unique factor. In multivariable syndemic analyses, participants with two or more factors reported more male partners and more CAI casual male partners than those with none. In non-syndemic models, homophobic discrimination and exchange sex were significantly positively associated with total number of male partners, while heavy drinking was associated with more casual CAI partners. Quantitative results indicate that syndemic and non-syndemic approaches vary in their relative capacity to account for sexual risk among Latinx MSM.

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