The disproportionate impact of HIV on gay and bisexual men of color remains a pressing public health concern. Despite the proven effectiveness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV, utilization rates among sexual and gender minority people remain critically low.
Social and structural influences converge to negatively influence interpersonal and individual factors to create significant barriers to sexual health. As a result, sexual and gender minority men are less likely to receive their diagnosis early after testing positive for HIV, less likely to be in care if they test positive for HIV, less likely to be retained in care, less likely to be on antiretroviral treatment, and less likely to be virally suppressed.
The Gay Men of Color Fellowship, a program organized by NMAC (formerly the National Minority AIDS Council), conducted a community-led study, including focus groups and surveys, to uncover the factors influencing PrEP uptake. This advocacy brief was authored with NMAC consultant, George Ayala, PsyD, in close partnership with the members of the Gay Men of Color Fellowship.
The brief synthesizes findings from focus groups and surveys, identifies actionable themes, and proposes a three-year advocacy agenda to address disparities and improve health outcomes.
12 Themes from the Gay Men of Color Fellowship Advocacy Report
- Awareness and Knowledge
- Motivation for Use
- Barriers to Access and Use
- Injectable PrEP Perceptions
- Ideal Access and Use Scenarios
- Community-Led Strategies for Promoting PrEP
- Intersectionality and Diversity
- Mistrust in Healthcare
- Normalizing PrEP
- Stigma Beyond Sexual Orientation
- Community as a Catalyst
- Long-Term Engagement and Support
4 Key Findings
- Persistent Knowledge Gaps
- Barriers to Access
- High Motivation for Use
- Community Has A Central Role
5-Part Advocacy Strategy
The advocacy strategy outlines a three-year plan to address systemic challenges, foster community-led engagement, and drive sustainable change in PrEP awareness, access, and adherence.
- Reduce Barriers to Access
- Increase Awareness Through Education
- Tackle Stigma and Mistrust
- Promoting Long-Term Adherence
- Policy Advocacy and Funding
About NMAC’s Gay Men of Color Fellowship
The Gay Men of Color(GMoC) Fellowship aims to equip members of this community with essential tools for effective and strategic advocacy, supporting them to actively engage in local and national decision-making processes.
The overarching goal is to ensure that the HIV movement is led by the voices of those most affected by the epidemic and to build a field force of advocates dedicated to transforming the movement towards an equitable approach to ending HIV.