Briefly - CD8 T cells - The Body

prOgress thrOugh
resiliency
Syndemics, strengths, and
HIV among Men who have
Sex with Men (MSM)
By amy herrICk, mary hawk,
maCkey frIeDman, ChIngChe ChIu,
James egan, mark frIeDman, anD
ron sTall
while imPRoVements in aPPRoaches to hiV PReVention
have been made over the 30 years since the start of the AIDS epidemic,
HIV among MSM is far from eradicated. Despite more than
two decades of prevention efforts focused toward MSM, the rates
of HIV infection in this population continue to rise.
What is the state of the HIV/aIDS
epidemic among men who have sex with
men (MSM) in the U.S.?
A 2008 report released by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
showed that MSM accounted for 46% of all
new HIV infections and HIV infection rates
among young MSM increased at a rate of
about 12% each year between 2001 and
2006. This report further noted that MSM
were the only risk group who experienced
an increase in infection rates during this
time. In fact, according to a recent study by
researchers at the University of Pittsburgh,
even if the rate of HIV infection among
MSM remains at the current level, by the
time a group of young MSM (18 years old)
reach the age of 40, 41% of them will be
HIV-positive. We cannot make any progress
in fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the
U.S. unless we find ways to lower rates of
HIV transmission among MSM.
How do other health disparities among
MSM relate to risk for HIV/aIDS?
A growing set of recent scientific papers
had shown that health problems among
MSM are interconnected and function as a
group to increase HIV risk in this population.
Because they are sexual minorities,
gay, bisexual, and other MSM experience
massive minority stress and social marginalization
(for example, widespread
bullying, gay-bashing, and other forms of
violent harassment). Studies suggest that
these negative experiences increase a person’s
risk for multiple health issues, including
depression, anxiety, drug use, and
sexual risk behaviors. This process happens
over time as people are exposed to
discrimination and social marginalization.
These experiences cause stress to the individual,
resulting in lowered self-esteem,
increased emotional distress, and a sense
of social isolation, all of which cause a
person to be more vulnerable to serious
emotional and physical health problems.
According to the CDC, a syndemic
is, “Two or more afflictions, interacting
synergistically, contributing to excess
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