Where Do Our Young Men Seek Help Regarding HIV?

Background:  Historically, African American men who have sex with men have been the focus, with an incidence rate of 38% (MSM) and 70% among black males nationally (CDC, 2015). Interestingly, young people between the ages of 13-24 have emerged as the leaders for at risks groups, essentially become a new population of focus by 2013 (CDC, 2015). Additionally, the Center of Disease Control reported 47,500 new HIV infections, identifying 12,200 adolescents. The racial makeup were 57.4% African American adolescents, 19.6% Latinos, and 19.5% Caucasians collectively. In the midst of African American adolescents the research suggest that males were disproportionately affected by HIV, reporting 5,600 of 7,000 infections.

Program background:  This group seems to have the most barriers to accessing prevention and care services. Community-based service providers for many are the main source of help for African American MSM; however, who do the adolescents go to? Many are reluctant to confront their sexuality, ultimately creating a bigger barrier to preventive services. The broad, long term objective of this research is to improve awareness pertaining HIV/STI’s for all AAMSM who are between the ages of 13-24.

Evaluation Methods and Results:  Community based participatory research (CBPR) using the action model photo voice is well respected guides for documenting interviews conducted that enhance communication for participants (Wang, & Burris, 1997). CBPR promotes genuine engagement, allowing stakeholders to facilitate the discussion through pictures, and is an effective tool to investigate underserved communities (Bellows, Howard, Boekeloo, & Randolph, 2015). Participants will be connected to their peer group, near peers, and what many call as Old Queens, essentially filling potential voids of mentorship. This will be done through a phone app created so the participants can record a sex diary and upload their pictures to log in their sexual activity in private, ultimately creating a safe place to disclose. This environment will improve efficacy regarding condom use to cultivate self-esteem, raise awareness of pathways of infections, and provide dialogue amidst of training to promote risk reduction (Brizay et. al., 2015)

Conclusions:  The primary outcome measure will be abstinence or condom use, this will be achieved through self-reporting anonymously (Chouinard, & Cousins, 2015). Findings from this intervention will provide insight from our youngest members who are experiencing this epidemic, who can help us as researchers reach out to their peers. This is ultimately an intervention conducted through the interview process to evaluate the process of care that ultimately affects outcomes (Donabedian, 1988).

Implications for research and/or practice:  Objectives: #1. To test the effectiveness of the intervention (Sex Diaries) AAMSM Adolescents in urban and rural settings in the Southeastern part of the United States. Hypothesis 1.1: Adolescents receiving the (Sex Diaries) intervention in urban areas that have greater success accessing HIV health related resources through increased awareness creating risk reduction through anonymous peer groups/ mentors  Hypothesis 1.2: Adolescents receiving the (Sex Diaries) intervention in urban areas will report less willing to reduce the numbers of partners as a form of reduction, measured by self-reported relationship/hookups in their sex diary.