This essay examines the case of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) as a vulnerable group in the light of those social determinants that contribute to its risk status concerning HIV/AIDS. It also provides a general overview of the issue seeking to highlight the historical background of the epidemic among MSM in each target region to the extent necessary. However, the main objective of this essay is to consider not the whole picture in its entirety, but specifically such factors as, first, discrimination and stigma, second, economic conditions, and, third, gender and sexuality (understood as the actual level of promiscuity) regarding the current situation. The key question is what their roles are, against the national backdrop. All these phenomena
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367). Thus, quite understandably, HIV prevalence figures for MSM remain high in the both selected regions: 17,9% in Sub-Saharan Africa (against 5% in adults) and 15,4% (less than 1% in adults) in North America (Ibid, p. 369). At the same time, the mentioned “natural” component alone could never be responsible for such a magnitude, there must have been other social health determinants at play. This essay covers three of them: stigma, poverty, and sexuality.
The following factors could stop the epidemic among MSM: first, condom use; second, the treatment-as-prevention approach, i.e. detection of infected persons and reduction of their virus load by the means of therapy; third, disclosure of one’s HIV status to his sexual partners. Finally, more monogamous behavior may also constitute a barrier on the way of the epidemic, since such relationships (Hoff et al., 2016, p. 17) lead to less unprotected sex outside a …show more content…
However, in order to specify a particular vulnerable group on the basis of such determinants – even with due account taken of the overall “natural” prerequisites – a certain level of heterogeneity within a given society is needed. The US – a multiracial society that features various levels of wealth (defined, among other things, by group specificities) and a “visible” MSM minority – provides enough preconditions for a single group to become obviously vulnerable. In a more homogeneous society, like South Africa, a certain set of MSM problems recedes into the background of the ongoing humanitarian disaster in general. As a result, MSM appear to be affected by the very same determinants, even if to a somehow greater
367). Thus, quite understandably, HIV prevalence figures for MSM remain high in the both selected regions: 17,9% in Sub-Saharan Africa (against 5% in adults) and 15,4% (less than 1% in adults) in North America (Ibid, p. 369). At the same time, the mentioned “natural” component alone could never be responsible for such a magnitude, there must have been other social health determinants at play. This essay covers three of them: stigma, poverty, and sexuality.
The following factors could stop the epidemic among MSM: first, condom use; second, the treatment-as-prevention approach, i.e. detection of infected persons and reduction of their virus load by the means of therapy; third, disclosure of one’s HIV status to his sexual partners. Finally, more monogamous behavior may also constitute a barrier on the way of the epidemic, since such relationships (Hoff et al., 2016, p. 17) lead to less unprotected sex outside a …show more content…
However, in order to specify a particular vulnerable group on the basis of such determinants – even with due account taken of the overall “natural” prerequisites – a certain level of heterogeneity within a given society is needed. The US – a multiracial society that features various levels of wealth (defined, among other things, by group specificities) and a “visible” MSM minority – provides enough preconditions for a single group to become obviously vulnerable. In a more homogeneous society, like South Africa, a certain set of MSM problems recedes into the background of the ongoing humanitarian disaster in general. As a result, MSM appear to be affected by the very same determinants, even if to a somehow greater