Training

Syndemics and HIV among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in the U.S.: Understanding Risk in Context
Two Hands Wrapped Together by and Holding Red Ribbon

Course Objective

  • Define a syndemic
  • List key components of the syndemic affecting Black and Latino MSM in the US
  • Describe how the concept of syndemics increase our ability to intervene upon the disparities in HIV/AIDS affecting MSM of color in the US

Date: May 5, 2015

Reviewed June 30, 2020

Presenter:
Patrick Wilson, PhD, MA
Associate Professor, Sociomedical Sciences
Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health


Syndemics offer a useful framework through which we can potentially explain enhanced HIV risk among MSM in that it describe “clustering” of different physiological and sociological epidemics by person, place, or time. Dr. Patrick Wilson discusses the problem of HIV in our own country – where the prevalence of HIV in black and Latino communities is high and where the HIV epidemic tends to be increasing in MSM in the US. This webinar takes a look at how looking at, and targeting the behavioral, social, and structural factors that influence disparities in HIV epidemic in black and white MSM may help to address said disparities in comprehensive, “de-silo’ed” ways.

Region 2 Public Health Training Center