In this revised application, the investigators propose to study Dominican, Colombian, Mexican and Puerto Rican men who have sex with men (MSM) and who live in the New York metropolitan area. The project aims are: 1) To describe the social and semantic context in which these MSM interact; 2) to identify the cognitive, emotional, and social factors that affect HIV- risk sexual behavior in the target population; and 3) to develop a culturally sensitive intervention to promote safer sexual behavior change among these MSM. The project builds on the results of a prior exploratory study of Puerto Rican MSM. It will be carried out following theoretical models of behavior determination and behavior change. The methodology will include qualitative and quantitative techniques. The research will be carried out in partnership between the applicant institution and the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC), the largest Community based organization in our area dedicated to HIV prevention. This project is significant from several perspectives: a) it will target understudied ethnic-minority groups which are disproportionally affected by HIV disease; b) it will be carried out in an HIV endemic area where sexual-risk behavior is widespread; c) it will be done in collaboration with a community based organization; d) it will put knowledge to work by developing an intervention to reduce unsafe sexual behavior.
| Carballo-Dieguez, A; Stein, Z; Saez, H et al. (2000) Frequent use of lubricants for anal sex among men who have sex with men: the HIV prevention potential of a microbicidal gel. Am J Public Health 90:1117-21 |
| Dolezal, C; Carballo-Dieguez, A; Nieves-Rosa, L et al. (2000) Substance use and sexual risk behavior: understanding their association among four ethnic groups of Latino men who have sex with men. J Subst Abuse 11:323-36 |
