The Black community shoulders the heaviest HIV/AIDS burden of any racial or ethnic group in the United States, with Black men who have sex with men being the most impacted subpopulation (CDC, 2011). Health determinants (i.e., behavior, social environment, physical environment, and healthcare) of Black men who have sex with men are examined for consideration in the creation of innovative HIV prevention programs specific to the community. The only two intervention strategies targeting this population approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the 3MV and d-up:Defend Yourself programs, are scrutinized, and the theoretical underpinnings of these evidence-based programs (i.e., social cognitive theory, diffusion of innovations) will be examined in order to recommend strategies for future interventions to reach greater numbers within the community.
Author Biography
Stephen M. Young, University of Georgia
Stephen M. Young is a PhD Candidate at the
University of Georgia graduating in May of 2014. After earning his bachelors and masters degrees in social work from Indiana University, Young practiced as a social worker in Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and London in a variety of settings, with a primary focus on health, safety, risk-taking, and mental health services to a diverse population of children, adolescents, and adults. Young teaches courses at the B.S.W. level with a particular focus on theory and practice skills. His research interests include program/practice evaluation, child health policy, risk-taking culture in adolescents, attachment theory, and LGBT issues.
