Responding to the “Initiative on AIDS in Hispanic Communities,” the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) received funding from the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a project focused on Latino gay men (LGM). NASTAD conducted a nine-month qualitative study to investigate responses of health departments (HDs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) to the HIV/AIDS crisis among LGM in the U.S. The findings in this report represent key themes derived from focus group interviews with HDs, CBOs and consumers of HIV/AIDS prevention and care and treatment services in 12 jurisdictions. The objective of the study is to inform research questions on the unique and unmet HIV/AIDS needs of LGM.
Given the alarming infection rates among LGM, the report gives voice to LGM whose perspectives are often neglected in policy decision-making processes. The study represents LGM voices from diverse socio-economic backgrounds across the U.S. and gives voice to those who, as state health officials and CBOs, are responsible for providing HIV prevention and care and treatment services to LGM. Pursuant to the recommendations made in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) released in July 2010, data presented in this report are intended to contribute to the four primary goals of the NHAS: reducing HIV incidence; increasing access to care and optimizing health outcomes; reducing HIV-related health disparities; and achieving a more coordinated national response.
The NHAS emphasizes that “not every person or group has an equal chance of becoming infected with HIV.” Specifically, it notes that Latino gay and bisexual men “represent the greatest proportion of HIV cases among Latinos.” In 2006, Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) represented 72 percent of new infections among all Latino men and nearly 19 percent among all MSM. Among all LGM and other MSM in 2006, the largest number of new infections (43 percent) occurred in the youngest age group (13–29 years). At 35 percent, LGM and other MSM aged 30-39 years were also heavily impacted with a substantial number of new HIV infections. These data indicate the depth of the HIV crisis among LGM and the consequences associated with paltry efforts to prevent HIV transmission.
NASTAD and the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) released a Statement of Urgency in June 2010 expressing concern about the stronghold that HIV and STD infections continue to have on gay and bisexual men. Consistent with the goals of the NHAS, as well as NASTAD and NCSD’s Statement of Urgency, this report seeks to generate key themes to assist and inform effective federal, state and local public health responses to HIV/STDs among LGM. Moreover, the data collected for this project will increase understanding of the facilitators, barriers and gaps in the provision of HIV prevention and care and treatment services targeting LGM for HDs, CBOs, federal partners and other relevant stakeholders.
A Través de Nuestros Ojos (Through Our Eyes): Promoting Health and Social Equity to Address HIV/AIDS among Latino Gay Men is also available in Spanish.
