Heterosexism, Racism, and HIV Sexual Risk Behavior among American Indian/Alaska Native Men Who Have Sex With Men

• In Event: 301 - Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Research Session. Issues in Stratification: Health, Politics, Work, and Aging in Domestic and Global Context

Abstract

The recent literature on racial minority men who have sex with men (MSM) indicates that exposure to discrimination based on race and sexuality are positively associated with increased incidence of unprotected anal intercourse. In an effort to better understand this association, I analyzed the association of lifetime exposure to racial and heterosexist discrimination on unprotected anal intercourse in the past 12 months among 221 American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) MSM residing, working, and socializing in 7 cities across the United States. I conducted secondary analysis of a sample of men drawn from the HONOR Project as a means of testing Minority stress and Indigenist Stress-Coping explanations using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Bivariate analysis showed that heterosexist discrimination, LGBT identity and HIV status were associated with unprotected anal intercourse. After adjusting for confounders, AIAN MSM reporting higher mean levels of exposure to heterosexist discrimination had increase odds of reporting unprotected anal intercourse (OR = 2.01, 95% CI, 1.20–3.35) compared to AIAN MSM reporting lower levels of exposure. This analysis found no association between racial discrimination and unprotected anal intercourse. Future prevention research and program designs should specifically address the differential impact of heterosexist discrimination on sexual behavior among AIAN MSM.

Author

• Matthew Town, Portland State University