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Sexual Health and Socioeconomic-Related Factors Among HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men in Puerto Rico

  • Special Section: Sexual Health in Gay and Bisexual Men
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Abstract

Most of the research among HIV-positive populations has been approached from behavioral risk models. This is particularly true for those otherwise socially vulnerable groups like men who have sex with men (MSM). As a response to this pattern, we examined data from an ongoing health promotion research being conducted in Puerto Rico (PR). The study is limited to HIV-positive MSM and consists of the participation in a survey interview that includes domains used to assess indicators of socio-economic-related factors (age, educational level, employment, religion, and partnership status) and sexual health (sexual satisfaction, condom use, and sexual health knowledge(SHK)). Participants reported a relatively high level (75 %) of sexual satisfaction and inconsistent condom use (50.9 % reported always using a condom). A deficient (61 %) SHK was also reported. In multivariate analyses, a higher educational level was associated with higher sexual satisfaction (aβ = 3.223; 95 % CI 0.291–6.156) and higher levels of SHK (aβ = 1.328; 95 % CI 0.358–2.297), while unemployment was associated with less condom use (aOR 0.314; 95 % CI 0.122–0.810). Not having a primary sexual partner was associated with less sexual satisfaction (aβ = −3.871; 95 % CI −7.534–0.208) and more condom use (aOR 4.292; 95 % CI 1.310–14.068). Findings support the notion that men of a disadvantaged socioeconomic position may have a poorer sexual health status; with a lower level of education and unemployment leading this disparity. Findings also evidence that partnership status may have a role in the sexual health of HIV-positive MSM. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive analysis of sexual health and socioeconomic indicators among Hispanic/Latino HIV-positive MSM in PR and in the Caribbean. Findings provide valuable information to address the sexual health needs of an underserved population.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the men who participated in the study, community collaborators, and graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Puerto Rico who supported data collection. This study was supported by the Minority AIDS Research Initiative, Award Number U01PS003310 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the Award Number U54MD007587 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH or CDC.

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  1. School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA

    Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz, Gerardo G. Jovet-Toledo, Edgardo J. Ortiz-Sánchez, Edda I. Rodríguez-Santiago & Ricardo L. Vargas-Molina

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  1. Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz
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  2. Gerardo G. Jovet-Toledo
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  3. Edgardo J. Ortiz-Sánchez
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Correspondence to Carlos E. Rodríguez-Díaz.

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Rodríguez-Díaz, C.E., Jovet-Toledo, G.G., Ortiz-Sánchez, E.J. et al. Sexual Health and Socioeconomic-Related Factors Among HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men in Puerto Rico. Arch Sex Behav 44, 1949–1958 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-015-0481-9

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