Medical Treatment for Men Who Have Sex With Men and Are Living With HIV/AIDS

Abstract

This study focuses on a sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV/AIDS in a south Florida community. The study uses a mixed-method, quantitative, and qualitative research design. The purpose of the study was to identify individual and service system characteristics that impact access, retention, and adherence to an HIV/AIDS medical treatment regimen. The study identified many men who were not likely to seek treatment after their initial HIV/AIDS diagnosis. Compared with the general population living with HIV/AIDS in the same south Florida community many of these men were less likely to maintain a regimen of medical care for their HIV/AIDS. The study indicated that the following issues affected medical treatment and treatment adherence: treatment readiness, presence of support networks, availability of "MSM-friendly" health providers, and the cultural competency of substance abuse providers.

Barriers to men who have sex with men attending HIV related health services in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

“…Similar findings have been reported in a study in Florida, USA (Beckerman & Fontana, 2009). In the USA study, limited access to health insurance and challenges in identifying a doctor who is sensitive to MSM needs were factors which promoted and impeded service utilization and medication adherence for MSM (Beckerman & Fontana, 2009).…”

“…This made them afraid to come out and seek HIV related services when they needed it. This is similar to what the study conducted in Florida, USA on medical treatment for MSM living with AIDS reported that men having sex with men were afraid to come out and seek services such as HIV testing as they were afraid if doctors are culturally competent and can offer services to people like them (Beckerman & Fontana, 2009) Most of the study participants had fears of coming out and seeking for HIV related health services. They were contemplating a lot before doing so because of past experiences of stigma and discrimination.…”

“…In study in Massachusetts, USA, Mimiaga et al (2007) found that MSM were afraid to come out and seek for health services because of lack of confidentiality, social stigma and rejection and discrimination because of their sexuality by the health care personnel. On the other hand, it has been reported that MSM delay in seeking medical care because of being too angry, scared, afraid of doctors, not ready, felt shame, feel sick and negative side effects of HIV medication (Beckerman & Fontana, 2009).…”

Impact of Socio-Medical Factors on the Prevention and Treatment of HIV/AIDS Among Specific Subpopulations

“…At its onset the HIV epidemic was disproportionately present in the gay community and in resources focused on addressing death and dying (Beckerman & Fontana, 2009). Sexual activity between same sex male partners and intravenous drugs represent some of the most frequent routes of HIV transmission and both groups were highly stigmatized by the general public.…”

“…Early in the epidemic, the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community developed its own education campaigns and institutions to reduce HIV in the wake of inaction by government and other institutions (Office of National AIDS Policy, 2010). This coupled with the 1996 introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (Beckerman & Fontana, 2009;Brennan et al, 2009;Brennan et al, 2010) changed the perception of HIV as a terminal disease and placed emphasis on adherence to medication, quality of life and prevention. The demography of HIV/AIDS has changed in the United States, but the majority of newly HIV infections continue to occur among MSM (Benotsch et al, 2002;Brennan et al, 2010).…”