Since the beginning of the 1980's gay and bisexual men's health has been defined by the demands of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. While HIV/AIDS is a clear public health priority for gay and bisexual men, other health outcomes need to be addressed and must receive the attention of health researchers and planners. Gay and bisexual men are at increased risk for disorders due to both excess in exposure to social stress related to their stigmatization, and due to particular behaviors that place them at high risk for disorders (e.g., anal sex, high prevalence of smoking). This presentation will review the state of knowledge on a variety of health outcomes, including cancer, infectious diseases other than HIV/AIDS, mental health and mental disorders, substance use, tobacco use, and violence and sexual assault. While definitive studies are lacking, data lends credence to the conclusion that gay and bisexual men are at increased risk for certain cancers -- some are related to HIV/AIDS (e.g., Kaposi's sarcoma) and others are not (e.g., anal cancer). Resent studies also add to the evidence that gay and bisexual men may be at increased risk for affective disorders, generalized distress, and suicide. Studies also suggest that stigma and homophobia present significant social stressors related to violence and discrimination. Social and institutional barriers are also related to increase in problems of access to care and the dissemination of specialized health education and public health interventions and prevention programs. A public health research agenda for gay and bisexual men will be discussed.
Learning Objectives: * Describe state of the art research on health status of gay and bisexual men * Identify areas of deficiency in research and evaluation * Evaluate research on gay and bisexual men's health * Develop public health agenda for research, intervention, and prevention
Keywords: Gender, Research Agenda
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.