TY - JOUR
T1 - “That’s Only for Women”
T2 - The Importance of Educating HIV-Positive Sexual Minority Men on HPV and High Resolution Anoscopy (HRA)
AU - Finneran, Catherine
AU - Johnson Peretz, Jason
AU - Blemur, Danielle
AU - Palefsky, Joel
AU - Flowers, Lisa
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) experience disproportionately high burdens of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-associated anal cancers. Recent focus has shifted to anorectal cancer prevention through high-resolution anoscopy (HRA); however, little is known about sexual minority men’s perceptions, attitudes, or beliefs regarding HRA. We conducted 4 qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) (n = 15) with sexual minority men, focusing on their beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of undergoing HRA. Participants discussed their experiences of HPV/HRA as influenced by both their gender and sexuality, including unawareness of HPV disease as a male health issue, challenges relating to female-oriented HPV/HRA language, conception of HPV/HRA as related to prostate health, and connecting their sexual behavior identification as “bottoms” to their need for HRA. As efforts to improve HRA knowledge, access, and uptake among sexual and gender minority communities increase, special attention should be paid to language and messaging choices around HRA.
AB - Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) experience disproportionately high burdens of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-associated anal cancers. Recent focus has shifted to anorectal cancer prevention through high-resolution anoscopy (HRA); however, little is known about sexual minority men’s perceptions, attitudes, or beliefs regarding HRA. We conducted 4 qualitative Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) (n = 15) with sexual minority men, focusing on their beliefs, attitudes, and perceptions of undergoing HRA. Participants discussed their experiences of HPV/HRA as influenced by both their gender and sexuality, including unawareness of HPV disease as a male health issue, challenges relating to female-oriented HPV/HRA language, conception of HPV/HRA as related to prostate health, and connecting their sexual behavior identification as “bottoms” to their need for HRA. As efforts to improve HRA knowledge, access, and uptake among sexual and gender minority communities increase, special attention should be paid to language and messaging choices around HRA.
KW - HIV
KW - HPV
KW - HRA
KW - MSM
KW - anoscopy
KW - attitutdes
KW - high-resolution
KW - human immunodeficiency virus
KW - human papillomavirus
KW - knowledge
KW - sexual health
KW - sexual minority
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107248121&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/23259582211016134
DO - 10.1177/23259582211016134
M3 - Article
C2 - 34056930
AN - SCOPUS:85107248121
SN - 2325-9574
VL - 20
JO - Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
JF - Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
ER -