Interviews with Non-Gay Identified Men who have Sex with Men Final Report

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are a significant public health concern in the United States. While estimates of the incidence and prevalence of STDs in the United States vary according to method of data collection and source of the data, the latest estimates of STD incidence indicate that there are 18.9 million new cases each year.¹

^{There are more than 25 diseases that are transmitted through sexual activity, the most common of which are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B, trichomoniasis, and bacterial vaginosis. Each disease affects different audience segments and requires different communication approaches to prevent and control the disease.}

^{Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at increased risk for multiple sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B and hepatitis A. It has been stated that high rates of STDs among MSM appear to be associated with the return of unsafe sexual practices such as unprotected sex.2 Non-gay identified men who have sex with men (NGI MSM) are men who engage in sexual activity with other men and with women, but who do not self-identify as gay or bisexual and who cannot easily be reached through the social or community support systems associated with the gay/bisexual community.3}

^{Given the dearth of information available about NGI MSM, their knowledge of STDs, and their communication preferences, resources for this study were dedicated to address these particular gaps in health communication literature. Specifically, the intent was to collect data regarding the behaviors, attitudes, and community/culture of African-American and Hispanic/Latino NGI MSM aged 20 – 45 relevant to STDs and their ideas for increasing knowledge of how to prevent these diseases. Due to the lack of health communication information available regarding African-American and Hispanic/Latino NGI MSM men between the ages of 20 – 45, CDC indicated that these populations were the central focus of the study.}

^{In-depth interviews were conducted to address the following five research questions about African-American and Hispanic/Latino NGI MSM aged 20 – 45:}

1. ^{Are there identifiable sexual behaviors of NGI MSM that are important to consider when developing STD prevention messages?}
2. ^{Are there identifiable attitudes of NGI MSM regarding STDs and sexual behavior that are important to consider when developing STD prevention messages?}
3. ^{To what extent do NGI MSM believe that same-sex relationships are supported by institutions and organizations in their communities?}
4. ^{Do NGI MSM believe they can turn to organizations and institutions in their communities for information and services regarding STDs?}
5. ^{What are the most effective channels/sources of information to reach NGI MSM with STD prevention messages?}

 Final Report: STD Communications Database, Interviews with Non-Gay Identified Men who have Sex with Men (NGI MSM) -