Latino LGTBQ and Mental Health in Ontario - CAMH Knowledge ...

Latino LGTBQ and Mental Health in OntarioCentre for the Spanish-Speaking Peoples, HIV PreventionProgramGerardo Betancourt, PhD Student Factor-InwentashFaculty of Social Work University of Toronto

Who are our clients?What they are doinghere?Sexual Migration- Our clients are from more than22 countries.- Most of our clients are gay orMSM.- Some clients migrated toCanada with their families.- Some others migrated to livetheir sexual lives, others arealready HIV poz and they movedto Canada to receive servicesand medication that is hard toget in their home countries.

Migration, Mental and HIV• Most literature ongay/MSM issues that wehave access is from theUnited States.• There is a pressing need tohave more research in thefield of Latino LGTBQissues, including mentalhealth in Canada.

The social determinants of healthframeworkLiterature points outthat:•• Adam, B., Betancourt, G. & Serrano, A. (2011).Development of an HIV prevention and life skillsprogram for Spanish-speaking gay and bisexualnewcomers to Canada. The Canadian Journal of HumanSexuality, 20(1), 11-17.• Betancourt, G. (2011). Guys like you: The fotonovelaand the website. In J.J. Lévy, J. Dumas, B. Ryan & C.Thoë (Eds.), Minorités sexuelles, internet et santé (pp.210-227). Montreal, Canada: Presses de l'Université duQuébec.• Betancourt, G., Serrano, A., Rangel, C., & Adam, B.(2012). Safer sex decision-making among Latino MSM inToronto: Findings form the “Cuentame” study. PosterPresentation. Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDSResearch. Montreal, April 2012.• Latino gay/MSM areimpacted by the ‘socialdeterminants of health’,that includes the ‘common’process of integration formigrants + LGTB issues +Exposure to sexualizedenvironments +Discrimination + Stigma• Dennis, R. (2009). Social determiants of health.Toronto : Canadian Scholar's Press Inc.

Migration FactorsMigration policies, laws and proceduresaffect the wellbeing of individualsMigration statusaffect the wellbeingof Latino gay/MSM- Migrated with their families- Migrated as skilled workers- Refuge status based onsexual orientation. (highlypolitical and verycontested).- Sponsorship: same sex,marriage and common law.(which is going to createnew issues in the future).

Different issues related tocondom use• Latino gay men migrates whoNorth America: Carrillo (2004);Bianchi et.al, (2007); Diaz (1998);Munoz-Laboy (2004): Vasques delAguila (2012): these literaturecommonalities point out thechallenging and intersectingdifficulties in which migrationoccurs and how those migrants areexposed to higher levels ofvulnerability that hinder safesexual practices. Consequentially,reporting higher numbers of HIVinfection among them.

Main Issues• Isolation• Poverty• Alcoholism and addictions• Self-Esteem• Racialized relations• Immigration Issues• Unemployment andunderemployment• Violence

Our Actions• Social marketing campaign:• 14,000 copies• National distribution inCanada• Objectives: provide HIVinformation, empowerment,resilience, developnarratives of support.• Evaluation available in thebook Betancourt, G. (2011). Guys like you:The fotonovela and the website. In J.J. Lévy, J.Dumas, B. Ryan & C. Thoë (Eds.), Minoritéssexuelles, internet et santé (pp. 210-227).Montreal, Canada: Presses de l'Université duQuébec.

Mano en Mano TheoreticalFramework

Future implication for the Latino LGTBQ populationsand mental health• Research for LGTBQcommunities is needed inorder to inform: policies,services provision,practices, interventionsand to reduce suffering,mental and health issues inthis community.• Provide funding in order toextend services to othercommunities in Ontario,and Canada with largerLGTBQ communities.