In the life: Culture‐specific HIV communication programs designed for African American men who have sex with men

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Abstract
The purpose of this discussion is to describe and assess HIV communication programs being used to reach African American men who have sex with men, a group that is being affected disproportionately by HIV/AIDS, particularly in large urban areas. The investigator examined HIV communication programs used in the four largest and oldest gay and African American AIDS service organizations in the Southeast and Northeast regions of the United States. The research project employed a qualitative case study approach to the study of communication that included three data collection methods: in‐depth interviews with educators and administrators, on‐site observation of facilities and environment, and collection of educational literature and policy reports on prevention programs. Effective strategies are identified that illustrate how educators are designing HIV communication programs on the basis of complex cultural experiences of gender, race, and sexual orientation. However, while this study finds that innovative, culture‐specific programs are being used to reach African American men who have sex with men, issues of identity and discrimination continue to affect the overall reach of these efforts.