Featured news from NHIVNA
HIV-related news from NAM
Blackmail, violence and stigma restrict access to sexual health services for gay men, Global Health and Rights Study reports
Gus Cairns, 2013-05-01 16:30:00
The Global Forum for MSM and HIV has released an analysis of its 2012 Global Men’s Health and Rights Study (GMHRS) concentrating on young men under 30 who have sex with men (MSM), complementing the full report which came out in December 2012.
Taken together, both reports reveal that MSM globally are faced with high levels of homophobia, stigma and discrimination, which are significantly associated with difficulties in accessing condoms and lubricant, HIV and STI testing, and HIV treatment.
The youth report also shows that, for most indicators, access to HIV and sexual health services, poverty and poor housing levels, and experience of homophobia and violence are worse for young MSM than for older ones.
One other and perhaps surprising set of findings were those testing respondents’ knowledge of and attitudes towards pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The more knowledgeable about PrEP and connected to the MSM community men were, and the higher the income of their country, the less likely they were to have positive attitudes towards PrEP; conversely, men who had experienced high levels of homophobia, violence and stigma from healthcare workers were more likely to be positive about PrEP.
Source:1
