Finding the “Community” in Community-Level HIV/AIDS Interventions: Formative Research with Young African American Men Who Have Sex with Men

• Published in: Health education & behavior Vol. 27; no. 4; pp. 430 - 441
• Main Authors: Kraft, Joan Marie, Beeker, Carolyn, Stokes, Joseph P., Peterson, John L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thousand Oaks, CA SAGE Publications 01.08.2000; Sage; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); Adolescent; Adult; African American Community; African Americans - education; African Americans - psychology; AIDS; Attitude to Health; Beliefs; Biological and medical sciences; Black people; Chicago; Community Change; Community Characteristics; Community Health Services - organization & administration; Community Networks; Community Relations; Community support; Drug Therapy; Drug Use; Gays & lesbians; Georgia; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; HIV; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Intervention; Leadership; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Men; Needs Assessment - organization & administration; Negative Attitudes; Prejudice; Sense of Community; Sexual behavior; Sexual Orientation; Sexuality; Social Environment; Social Identification; Social Organizations; Surveys and Questionnaires; Sustainability; Urban Population; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; United States; North America; America; Chicago; Georgia; Atlanta Georgia; United States > US; Chicago Illinois; Human; Immunopathology; Evaluation; Homosexuality; Social perception; Retroviridae; Male; AIDS; Self perception; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Ethnic group; Interview; Infection; Virus; Viral disease; Young adult; Human immunodeficiency virus; Public health
• ISSN: 1090-1981; 1552-6127
• DOI: 10.1177/109019810002700406

Data from 76 qualitative interviews with 18- to 29-year-old African American men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chicago and Atlanta were examined to identify perceptions of “community” and components of a community-level HIV/AIDS intervention. Many men reported feeling marginal to African American and gay White communities because of perceived homophobia and racism. Those who reported feeling part of gay African American communities characterized communities in terms of settings, social structures, and functions, including social support, socialization, and mobility. Despite these positive functions, divisions among groups of MSM, lack of settings for nonsexual interaction with other MSM, lack of leadership, and negative attitudes toward homosexuality may make it difficult for men to participate in activities to alter community contexts that influence behavior. Rather, changing norms, increasing social support, and community building should be part of initial community-level interventions. Community building might identify leaders, cre ate new settings, and create opportunities for dialogue between MSM and African American community groups to address negative perceptions of homosexuality.