Overlapping Epidemics, Innovative Interventions: How Do Psychosocial "Syndemics" Drive HIV Among Gay Men - And What Can We Do About It?

June 24, 2008

A Discussion on how:

• Research is revealing ways that psychological and social health conditions contribute to the HIV epidemic among gay men, and how
• Programs are evaluating real-world interventions to address these overlapping challenges.

PRESENTERS:
* Ron Stall, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health
* Jim Pickett, Director of Advocacy, AIDS Foundation of Chicago; Director, Project CRYSP

Download presentations here: Ron Stall: slides • Jim Pickett: slides

Researchers and community activists urge government and providers to:

• confront pervasive violence in the lives of adolescent LGBT people;
• provide comprehensive programs that do not fragment services needed by those in the heart of syndemics; and
• commit to addressing disproportionate rates of HIV in gay men, including African American gay men who have the highest rates despite equal or lower rates of "risky behavior".

Over 100 participants joined a CHAMP community teleconference on June 24 to discuss a theory of "syndemics" that suggests how inter-connected epidemics of psychosocial health issues drive HIV among gay men.

The call offered compelling data showing how psychological and social health conditions - particularly violence and marginalization - contribute to the HIV epidemic among gay men and presented groundbreaking models for countering these epidemics by standing up for gay lives and fostering stronger communities.

Dr. Ron Stall of the University of Pittsburgh introduced the syndemics approach to HIV prevention among gay men. He showed how high levels of substance abuse, partner violence, childhood sexual abuse and depression among gay men drastically increases gay men's susceptibility to HIV. He called out for an end to attacks from the religious right that cite troubling statistics on gay men's health, explaining that they are blaming the victims of the very violence and bias that has been sanctioned by their bigotry.

Jim Pickett of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago presented programs -- Project CRYSP, Lifelube, and the Gay Men's Health Summit -- that depart from traditional models of individual interventions or efforts that focus on just one area of gay men's lives -- to confront the conditions that feed the syndemic and increase vulnerability to HIV, while building resilience and resourcefulness in gay communities.

Call moderator Mark McLaurin of CHAMP urged researchers to address how syndemics theory could explain the higher and disproportionate rates of HIV in American gay men compared to all gay men - despite the fact that surveillance data do not reveal higher rates of risk behaviors among Black gay men compared to white gay men.