Occupations, social vulnerability and HIV/STI risk: The case of bisexual Latino men in the New York City metropolitan area

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between the work environment, type of occupation and sexual risk-taking among behaviourally bisexual Latino men, in which data were analysed from a mixed-methods study of 148 behaviourally bisexual Latino men, aged 18–60. The authors draw on both sex market theory and the literature on structural violence and labour to situate sexual risk-taking within broader dimensions of social inequalities and organisation. Manual labour, hospitality and retail/professional fields are examined and compared. Major findings include (1) a high incidence of unprotected anal intercourse among manual labourers (2) a high incidence of unprotected vaginal intercourse with alcohol use and concurrent sex with females among hospitality workers (3) less sexual risk behaviour, sexual risk behaviour with alcohol and fewer concurrent sex partners among those in the retail/professional fields. Findings are discussed in relation to global economic forces, masculinity and social and symbolic capital.

Keywords:

• labour
• HIV
• bisexual
• Latino
• occupation

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank our research participants and the members of our research team. The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development or the National Institutes of Health.

Funding

This article is based on data collected from the research study entitled, ‘Gender, Power, and Latino Men's HIV Risk,’ a project sponsored by the U.S. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [grant number 1R01HD-056948-01A2; 2009–2014; principal investigator, Miguel Muñoz-Laboy, DrPH].

Additional information

Funding

Funding: This article is based on data collected from the research study entitled, ‘Gender, Power, and Latino Men's HIV Risk,’ a project sponsored by the U.S. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [grant number 1R01HD-056948-01A2; 2009–2014; principal investigator, Miguel Muñoz-Laboy, DrPH].