‘Yes, I Am More than Just That’: Gay/Bisexual Young Men Residing in the United States Discuss the Influence of Minority Stress on their Sexual Risk Behavior Prior to Hiv Infection

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Rates of HIV infection in the United States are markedly over-represented among gay/bisexual young men (GBYM), especially those who are African American and Latino. The degree to which minority stress may explain racial disparities in HIV incidence is understudied in GBYM. This qualitative study examined racial/ethnic-minority and sexual-minority stress and their perceived influence on HIV infection in a sample of GBYM living with HIV. Findings indicated that racial/ethnic-minority stress more often emerged during sexual interactions, while sexual-minority stress was often family-based. Our discussion offers recommendations for primary HIV prevention efforts for GBYM.

KEYWORDS:

• HIV prevention
• adolescent sexuality
• qualitative studies
• HIV-positive youth
• racism
• minority stress

Acknowledgments

We extend our appreciation to study participants for sharing their stories with us. We also thank Arnaldo Vera and Thomas Lyons for assisting with data collection and analysis. This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health awarded to Robert Garofalo (R34 MH079707).