Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 1/2019

01-02-2019 | Original Paper

Sexual Migration and HIV Risk in a Sample of Brazilian, Colombian and Dominican Immigrant MSM Living in New York City

Authors: Karen Nieves-Lugo, Andrew Barnett, Veronica Pinho, Carol Reisen, Paul Poppen, Maria Cecilia Zea

Published in: Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health | Issue 1/2019

Login to get access

Abstract

We examined motivations for migration to the United States (US) among 482 Brazilian, Colombian, and Dominican men who have sex with men (MSM). Participants’ most common reason for migration was to improve their financial situation (49%), followed by sexual migration in order to affirm their sexual orientation (40%). Fewer endorsed sexual migration motivated by avoiding persecution due to being gay (13%). We conducted further analyses among 276 participants who migrated after age 15 and were HIV-negative at the time of migration. We hypothesized that sexual migration would be associated with greater likelihood of HIV acquisition post-migration. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis indicated that sexual migration motivated by avoiding persecution due to being gay was associated with increased odds of contracting HIV after arrival in the US whereas sexual migration to lead a gay life was not. Our findings highlight the importance of addressing the negative impact of anti-gay discrimination in countries of origin.
Literature
1.
Carrillo H. Sexual culture, structure, and change: a transnational framework for studies of Latino/a migration and HIV. HIV prevention with Latinos: theory, research and practice. New York: Oxford University Press. 2012. pp. 41–61.
2.
Carrillo H. Sexual migration, cross-cultural sexual encounters, and sexual health. Sex Res Soc Policy. 2004;1(3):58–70.CrossRef
3.
Luibheid E, Cantu L. Queer migrations: sexuality, U.S. citizenship and border crossings. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press; 2005.
4.
Asencio M, Acosta K. Migration, gender conformity, and social mobility among Puerto Rican sexual minorities. Sex Res Soc Policy. 2009;6(3):34–43.CrossRef
5.
Bianchi FT, Reisen CA, Cecilia MC, Poppen PJ, Shedlin MG, Penha MM. The sexual experiences of Latino men who have sex with men who migrated to a gay epicentre in the USA. Health Sex. 2007;9(5):505–18.CrossRef
6.
Toro-Alfonso J, López-Ortiz M, Nieves-Lugo K. Sexualidades migrantes: La emigración de hombres dominicanos gay. Caribb Stud. 2012;40(1):59–80.CrossRef
7.
Carrillo H. Leaving loved ones behind: Mexican gay men’s migration to the USA. Mobility, sexuality and AIDS 2009. London: Routledge; 2009. pp. 24–39.
8.
Sabidó M, Kerr LR, Mota RS, Benzaken AS, Pinho AD, Guimaraes MD, Dourado I, Merchan-Hamman E, Kendall C. Sexual violence against men who have sex with men in Brazil: a respondent-driven sampling survey. AIDS Behav. 2015;19(9):1630–41.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Zea MC, Reisen CA, Bianchi FT, Gonzales FA, Betancourt F, Aguilar M, Poppen PJ. Armed conflict, homonegativity and forced internal displacement: implications for HIV among Colombian gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. Cult Health Sex. 2013;15(7):788–803.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
10.
11.
12.
13.
Cabral CD, Artiles L, Cáceres F, Ortega P. Ciudadanía y democracia en la República Dominicana: Informe sobre la Encuesta de Opinión Pública Nacional. Santo Domingo: FUNGLODE e Instituto Nacional de Opinión Pública; 2004.
14.
Carballo-Diéguez A. The challenge of staying HIV-negative for Latin American immigrants. J Gay Lesbian Soc Serv. 1998;8(1):61–82.CrossRef
15.
Sastre F, Sanchez M, de la Rosa M. Changes in pre- to post-immigration HIV risk behaviors among recent Latino immigrants. AIDS Educ Prev. 2015;27(1):44–57.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
16.
Zea MC, Reisen CA, Poppen PJ, Bianchi FT. Unprotected anal intercourse among immigrant Latino MSM: the role of characteristics of the person and the sexual encounter. AIDS Behav. 2009;13(4):700–15.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Mizuno Y, Borkowf CB, Ayala G, Carballo-Diéguez A, Millett GA. Correlates of sexual risk for HIV among US-born and foreign-born Latino men who have sex with men (MSM): an Analysis from the Brothers y Hermanos Study. J Immigr Minor Health. 2013;17(1):47–55.CrossRef
18.
Reisen CA, Brooks KD, Zea MC, Poppen PJ. Bianchi FT Can additive measures add to an intersectional understanding? Experiences of gay and ethnic discrimination among HIV-positive Latino gay men. Cult Divers Ethn Minor Psychol. 2013;19(2):208–17.CrossRef
19.
Díaz RM, Ayala G, Bein E. Sexual risk as an outcome of social oppression: data from a probability sample of Latino gay men in three U.S. cities. Cult Divers Ethn Minor Psychol. 2004;10(3):255–67.CrossRef
20.
Wiewel EW, Torian LV, Hanna DB, Bocour A, Shepard CW. Foreign-born persons diagnosed with HIV: where are they from and where were they infected? AIDS Behav. 2015;19(5):890–8.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Dang BN, Giordano TP, Kim JH. Sociocultural and structural barriers to care among undocumented Latino immigrants with HIV infection. J Immigr Minor Health. 2012;14(1):124–31.CrossRefPubMed
22.
23.
Markel H, Stern AM. The foreignness of germs: the persistent association of immigrants and disease in American society. Milbank Q. 2002;80(4):757–88.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
24.
Greco DB, Simão M. Brazilian policy of universal access to AIDS treatment: sustainability challenges and perspectives. AIDS. 2007;21(Suppl 4):S37–45.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS and World Health Organization. AIDS AIDS epidemic update. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2007.
26.
27.
Díaz RM, Ayala G, Bein E, Henne J, Marin BV. The impact of homophobia, poverty, and racism on the mental health of gay and bisexual Latino men: findings from 3 US cities. Am J Public Health. 2001;91(6):927–32.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
28.
29.
De Leon M, Sanchez Diaz CT, Perez-Rios N, Rolon Colon Y, Valencia-Torres IM, Quiñones-Avila V, Ríus Armendáriz AC, Rivera-García B, Colón-López V. Coming out to health care providers in Puerto Rico: opportunities for prevention and engagement in care. Int J Sex Health. 2016;28(4):318–24.CrossRef
30.
Lobo AP, Salvo JJ. The newest New Yorkers: characteristics of the city’s foreign-born population. New York: Department of City Planning, Office of Immigrant Affairs; 2013.
31.
Gilbert PA, Rhodes SD. Immigrant sexual minority latino men in rural north Carolina: an exploration of social context, social behaviors, and sexual outcomes. J Homosex. 2014;61(8):1131–51.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
32.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Medical examination of aliens–removal of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection from definition of communicable disease of public health significance. Final rule. Fed Regist. 2009;74(210):56547.
33.
Adam BD, Betancourt G, Serrano-Sánchez A. Development of an HIV prevention and life skills program for Spanish-speaking gay and bisexual newcomers to Canada. Can J Hum Sex. 2011;20(1–2):11–7.
34.
Solorio R, Norton-Shelpuk P, Forehand M, Montaño D, Stern J, Aguirre J, et al. Tu Amigo Pepe: Evaluation of a multi-media marketing campaign that targets young latino immigrant MSM with HIV testing messages. AIDS Behav. 2016;20(9):1973–88.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
Sexual Migration and HIV Risk in a Sample of Brazilian, Colombian and Dominican Immigrant MSM Living in New York City
Authors
Karen Nieves-Lugo
Andrew Barnett
Veronica Pinho
Carol Reisen
Paul Poppen
Maria Cecilia Zea
Publication date
01-02-2019
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health / Issue 1/2019
Print ISSN: 1557-1912
Electronic ISSN: 1557-1920
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-018-0716-7

Other articles of this Issue 1/2019

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health 1/2019 Go to the issue

Original Paper

Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Diabetes-Related Outcomes Among Latinos with Type 2 Diabetes

Original Paper

Implementation and Evaluation of a Recurring Interdisciplinary Community Health Fair in a Remote U.S.–Mexico Border Community

Original Paper

Discrimination, Mental Disorders, and Suicidal Ideation in Latino Adults: Decomposing the Effects of Discrimination

Original Paper

Perceived Racial Discrimination and Pain Intensity/Disability Among Economically Disadvantaged Latinos in a Federally Qualified Health Center: The Role of Anxiety Sensitivity

Original Paper

Disparities in Health Care Coverage Among U.S. Born and Mexican/Central American Born Labor Workers in the U.S.

Original Paper

Acculturation and Adherence to Physical Activity Recommendations Among Chinese American and Non-Hispanic White Breast Cancer Survivors