Citation

Bruce D, Harper GW, Network AM. Health Educ. Behav. 2011; 38(4): 367-378.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1090198110375911

PMID

21398621

PMCID

PMC3149744

Abstract

Health disparities among gay men (HIV, substance use, depression) have been described as a mutually occurring "syndemic" that is socially produced through two overarching dynamics: marginalization and migration. Although the syndemic theory proposes a developmental trajectory, it has been largely based on epidemiological studies of adult gay men and has not been examined using qualitative data from gay male adolescents and emerging adults describing their developmental experience. We conducted interviews with 54 HIV-positive gay and bisexual male adolescents and emerging adults at four sites in the United States. This study provides examples of developmental trajectories that help explain the early onset of socially produced health disparities among some gay male adolescents and emerging adults, but also the development of risk factors that may follow some gay men into adulthood.

Language: en