RESUMEN
Over the past decade, the midwestern United States has witnessed a dramatic increase in its Latino population. The lack of culturally and linguistically congruent resources coupled with high incidence and prevalence rates of HIV among Latinos living in the Midwest merits attention. HoMBReS: Hombres Manteniendo Bienestar y Relaciones Saludables (Men Maintaining Wellbeing and Healthy Relationships) is a community-level social network intervention designed for Latino men. We describe the adaptation and implementation of HoMBReS for Latino men living in Indianapolis, Indiana, the second largest city in the Midwest. Five Navegantes (lay health educators) were trained; they provided a total of 34 educational charlas (small group didactic sessions). A total of 270 Latino men attended the charlas and were offered no-cost screening for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI). Three participants tested HIV positive and 15 screened positive for STI. The charlas coupled with the testing initiative, served as a successful method to increase sexual health knowledge among Latino men and to link newly-diagnosed HIV/STI-positive individuals to treatment and care. The adaptation and implementation of HoMBReS respond to the CDC and NIH call to increase HIV testing and service provision among vulnerable populations.
Asunto(s)
Participación de la Comunidad , Medicina Basada en la Evidencia , Infecciones por VIH/prevención & control , Promoción de la Salud/organización & administración , Heterosexualidad , Hispánicos o Latinos , Desarrollo de Programa/métodos , Adolescente , Adulto , Investigación Participativa Basada en la Comunidad , Relaciones Comunidad-Institución , Conducta Cooperativa , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Medio Oeste de Estados Unidos , Factores Socioeconómicos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The Midwestern United States (U.S.) has a high number of recent Latino migrants, but little information is available regarding their sexual behaviors. A total of 75 behaviorally bisexual men (25 Latino, 25 Black, and 25 White) participated in an exploratory study on sexual health. The data presented in this paper are restricted to the 25 self-identified Latino men. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted and optional self-administered sexual transmitted infection (STI) screening was provided. The measures used were taken from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior (NSSHB), a probability study of the sexual behaviors of nearly 6000 individuals aged 14-94 in the U.S. In our sample of bisexual men, the most commonly reported sexual behaviors were masturbation, vaginal intercourse, and receiving oral sex from male and female partners. The majority of the participants were the insertive partner during anal sex with male partners. Many of the participants reported alcohol use during their most recent sexual activity. A fair number reported not using condoms during their last sexual event. Pleasure, arousal, orgasm, and erectile functioning were markedly similar despite partner gender. A small number of participants also engaged in sexual activities with transgender individuals. All of the Latino participants took part in the optional self-collection for STI specimens. The results of the study provide rich insights into the sexual behavior and related factors, as well as potential risk behaviors of bisexual Latino men that may be targeted for future sexual health promotion efforts.
RESUMEN
Research on behaviourally bisexual Latino men in the USA has not yet examined sexual health issues among men living in diverse areas of the nation, including the Midwest. A community-based participatory research approach was used to engage a diverse sample of 75 behaviourally bisexual men (25 White, 25 Black and 25 Latino). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and standard qualitative analysis procedures were used to explore data from the 25 Latino participants. Men described their unique migration experiences as behaviourally bisexual men in this area of the USA, as well as related sexual risk behaviours and health concerns. Lack of culturally congruent public health and community resources for behaviourally bisexual men in the Midwestern USA were identified as significant barriers. As in other studies, familial and community relationships were significant for the participants, especially in terms of the decision to disclose or not disclose their bisexuality. Additionally, alcohol and other drugs were often used while engaging in sexual behaviours particularly with male and transgender, as well as female, partners. Behaviourally bisexual Latino men may benefit from receiving positive and affirmative individual- and structural-level support in regards to their unique experiences in this and other settings.