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. 2016 Sep 1:166:258-62.
doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.06.033. Epub 2016 Jul 15.

Syndemic factors associated with adult sexual HIV risk behaviors in a sample of Latino men who have sex with men in New York City

Omar Martinez  1 , Sonya Arreola  2 , Elwin Wu  3 , Miguel Muñoz-Laboy  4 , Ethan Czuy Levine  5 , Scott Edward Rutledge  6 , Carolina Hausmann-Stabile  7 , Larry Icard  8 , Scott D Rhodes  9 , Alex Carballo-Diéguez  10 , Carlos E Rodríguez-Díaz  11 , M Isabel Fernandez  12 , Theo Sandfort  13
Affiliations

Syndemic factors associated with adult sexual HIV risk behaviors in a sample of Latino men who have sex with men in New York City

Omar Martinez et al. Drug Alcohol Depend. .

Abstract

Objective: Syndemic theory has been proposed as a framework for understanding the role of multiple risk factors driving the HIV epidemic among sexual and gender minority individuals. As yet, the framework has been relatively absent in research on Latinos/as.

Methods: We used logistic regression to assess relationships among cumulative syndemic conditions - including clinically significant depression, high-risk alcohol consumption, discrimination, and childhood sexual abuse - engagement with multiple partners and condomless anal intercourse (CAI) in a sample of 176 Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) in New York City.

Results: In bivariate analyses, an increase in the number of syndemic factors experienced was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting multiple partners and CAI. In multivariable analyses, participants with 2, 3, and 4 factors were significantly more likely to report multiple partners than those with 0 (aOR=4.66, 95% CI [1.29, 16.85); aOR=7.28, 95% CI [1.94, 27.28] and aOR=8.25, 95% CI [1.74, 39.24] respectively; p<0.05. Regarding CAI, only participants with 3 and 4 factors differed from those with 0 aOR=7.35, 95% CI [1.64, 32.83] and OR=8.06, 95% CI [1.39, 46.73] respectively.

Conclusions: Comprehensive approaches that address syndemic factors, and capitalize on resiliency, are needed to address the sexual health needs of Latino MSM.

Keywords: HIV risk behaviors; High-risk alcohol consumption; Latino men who have sex with men; Syndemic conditions.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest: All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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