The findings from this study suggest that the internalization of oppressive social conditions can influence the healthcare experiences of BMSM. Despite recent debate over its role as an independent scientific health predictor, race and experiences of racism cannot be ignored when discussing sexuality in the medical setting. Experiences with societal and institutional racism, and the [...]

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Medical Miscommunication The quality of verbal communication with all levels of medical personnel was also an important component of the overall healthcare experience, influencing not only choice of clinic but also honest communication, adherence, and satisfaction with care: “I called the office and his receptionist—actually she’s half the reason I chose him—because she has this [...]

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External Barriers to Medical Care Money, acquiring insurance, perceived lack of confidentiality, and an impersonal medical system were themes related to common external barriers to healthcare: “What I’ve realized is you have to have money. That’s been my goal, to get a job with insurance. Because if you don’t have insurance, it’s like you don’t [...]

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Participants were almost equally divided between New York City and upstate New York discussion groups (49% versus 44%), with the remaining participants comprising the Atlanta group. They were also equally divided in terms of identifying their sexual orientation as “gay” (53%) versus other identification categories (homosexual, bisexual, same-gender-loving, two-spirited: 47%), and regarding HIV status: HIV [...]

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Participants Eight focus groups were conducted between December 2000 and February 2001 in New York State. An initial pilot focus group was conducted with five participants in Atlanta, GA, and the remaining focus groups took place in central Manhattan, Harlem, Brooklyn, Albany, Rochester, and Buffalo. Participants (n=81) were recruited through a collaboration between the New [...]

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BACKGROUND It is estimated that 1 of every 50 African-American males is infected with HIV For black men who have sex with men (BMSM), the prevalence estimates are 33% for 15-29-year-old BMSM in some major metropolitan cities. Up to 93% of these men are unaware of their HIV status, which may influence severity of disease [...]

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In a recent review of the literature on douching practices among young women, Simpson et al. documented that there have been an increasing number of studies characterizing women who have ever douched. Findings from this review indicate that African-American women overwhelmingly report douching at least once in their lifetime. Other studies have also documented a [...]

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