HIV risk for Qld Aboriginal gay men

HIV risk for Qld Aboriginal gay men

Indigenous gay men in Queensland face heightened risk of HIV infection and many experience discrimination within the Aboriginal community and from other gay men, according to a new report.The National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research report surveyed 160 gay Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander men across Queensland in 2004 and about 70 who identified as heterosexual.About half of gay respondents said they had had unprotected anal sex with a casual partner in the previous six months.This was more widespread than we have found in other samples of homosexual men in Queensland, survey author Dr Garrett Prestage said.The report also found low HIV testing rates among indigenous gay men. Forty percent of gay survey participants reported having an HIV test in the past year.More than a quarter had never been tested, and nearly 60 percent didn’t know their HIV status.Prejudice was also a problem for many respondents. More than one-third experienced anti-gay discrimination from within the indigenous community at least occasionally.More than half said they other gay men sometimes discriminated them because of their race.Most men in the survey had strong community bonds, both with their indigenous communities and with the gay community -¦ but many also faced prejudice, both racist and homophobic, Prestage said.

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.