HIV/AIDS and Minority Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Meta-Ethnographic Synthesis of Qualitative Research

The World Health Organization (2009) estimates that there are as many as 33 million people currently living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world. Studies also reveal that racial disparities significantly influence HIV/AIDS diagnoses within the U.S. men who have sex with men population (MSM). In recent years, the burden of HIV/AIDS has shifted from White MSM to younger men of color, particularly African Americans and Latinos. The disproportionate effect of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in African American and Latino MSM populations requires that scholars and practitioners work diligently to address cultural and structural factors that uniquely influence such populations. The goal of this article is to synthesize qualitative findings that address cultural and structural factors that influence HIV/AIDS risk in African American and Latino MSM populations using a qualitative meta-synthesis procedure. Ultimately, our analysis suggests that structure-centered approaches (Dutta & Basu, 2011) are needed to address this health disparity in meaningful ways.