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Coleman TA, Phillips NE, Rizkalla C, Tran B, Coulombe S, Davis C, Cameron R, Travers R, Wilson C, Woodford M. Exploring community enabling factors associated with recent HIV testing in a regional sample of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. AIDS Care 2022; 35:942-952. [PMID: 35637571 DOI: 10.1080/09540121.2022.2074959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
HIV testing and diagnosis are the gateway into treatment and eventual viral suppression. With gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) persistently over-representing new HIV diagnoses in Canada, combined with the evolving nature of community social connection, an exploration of factors associated with recent HIV testing is warranted. As most studies of GBMSM rely on samples obtained from larger metropolitan regions, examining HIV testing from an under-researched region is necessary. With data collected from an online survey of LGBTQ+ persons 16 or older living, working, or residing in the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, we used multinomial logistic regression to explore socio-demographic, behavioural, and psychosocial factors associated with recent HIV testing for GBMSM. In the final multivariate multinomial logistic regression model: sense of belonging was associated with more recently testing, as was having an increasing proportion of LGBT friends, app use to find sex partners in the past 12 months, access to the local AIDS service organization, and general sense of belonging to local community, among other. This analysis highlights the continued importance of enabling and need factors when accessing testing, and suggests areas for further testing promotion in physical and virtual spaces frequented by GBMSM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd A. Coleman
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Celina Rizkalla
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
| | - Billy Tran
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Simon Coulombe
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
| | - Charlie Davis
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ruth Cameron
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
- AIDS Committee of Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo and Area, Ontario, Canada
| | - Robb Travers
- Department of Health Sciences, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ciann Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Woodford
- Lyle S. Hallman Faculty of Social Work, Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada
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Lee-Foon NK, Logie CH, Siddiqi A, Grace D. “I just trust what Google says, it’s the Bible”: Exploring young, Black gay and other men who have sex with men’s evaluation of sexual health information sources in Toronto, Canada. THE CANADIAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN SEXUALITY 2020. [DOI: 10.3138/cjhs.2020-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
While sexual health literature identifies youths’ sexual health information sources and its impact on their sexual practices, little is known about the way youth evaluate the credibility of this information. This knowledge gap is significant among young, Black gay and other men who have sex with men (YBGM) who belong to intersectional populations disproportionately impacted by HIV and other STIs. We conducted a qualitative study using constructivist grounded theory to explore YBGM’s approaches to evaluating sexual health information sources’ credibility. Intersectionality and the socioecological model informed our analysis. We explored connections between social locations (e.g., race, sexual orientation) and socio-ecological environments and how their impact shaped YBGM’s evaluation of sexual health information. Findings revealed evaluation strategies varied by source: friends, the internet and healthcare providers. Friends’ information was deemed credible if they were older, shared social locations and provided embodied testimonials. Testimonials mirrored oral-traditions specific to Black populations where oral narratives help disseminate sensitive information in a culturally relevant way. Website selection was informed by YBGM’s social locations and ranged from being implicitly trusted to assessed by its association with established healthcare organizations. Many participants’ acceptance of healthcare providers’ information revealed patient-client power imbalances and a perception that providers’ actions reflected their institutions’ sexual health policies. Findings highlight a need for sexual health services to create culturally effective ways to disseminate information that accounts for the histories, contexts, and approaches YBGM use to identify credible sources of sexual health information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nakia K. Lee-Foon
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
| | - Carmen H. Logie
- Factor-Inwentash School of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
| | - Arjumand Siddiqi
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
| | - Daniel Grace
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
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