January 2, 2008

HIV Rates Soar Among Young Gay Men in NYC

While new HIV infections are on the decline in New York City—dropping 22 percent overall between 2001 and 2006—prevalence among the city’s young men who have sex with men (MSM) is sharply on the rise, the New York Times reports (nytimes.com, 1/2).

According to the Times story, which confirms a trend that POZ.com reported back in September 2007, new numbers from the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene show that new HIV infections rose 32 percent in MSM under the age of 30 from 2001 through 2006. Officials also found that new infections rose an alarming 34 percent among the city’s young black and Hispanic MSM.

The Times reports that the rise in infections may stem from increased substance abuse among young men—including cocaine and crystal methamphetamine—which can lead to lowered inhibitions and an increase in sexual partners. Experts also note that young MSM did not see the horrors of the epidemic’s early days before antiretroviral medication made HIV more manageable.

“When’s the last time we saw someone with lesions walking through Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen?” says Victoria Sharp, director of the city’s Center for Comprehensive Care. “You don’t see it, and we haven’t seen it since the mid-1990s, so there is a whole generation or two who have grown up without seeing the physical manifestations.”

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Previous Comments:

Bongane Nyathi, Oakland, CA, 2008-01-31 13:35:38
Most of the young MSM I have encountered here at POCC, both HIV neg or pos. are face with major social issues (homophobia, self esteem, body image, socio economics, dysfunctional family structure, role model/single parent upbringing) that make our young MSM think HIV is not as bad after all. Therefore we HIV/AIDS org. ought to have more compassion than ever for today youths, who are faced with fast growing technology; a gateway to transmission. We have recontexualize old HIV prevention messages.

Thomas B. Bowie Jr., Rossie NY, 2008-01-06 08:57:55
Well with the Bush administration views on gays and their flawed programs these 7 years on HIV education to MSM's this is the result. Some programs were funded 4 MSM of color to get the black/latino vote. I worked until 2002 with a cutting edge holistic HIV Education program. We were just getting young poz guys, which was sad but we were ready. Who knows what things would have been like if all the programs had been allowed to continue across USA instead of closing doors to MSM education.

SexyInTheCity, New York City, 2008-01-05 12:46:37
The number of guys who bareback today is astounding. I can speak to this based on my own experiences with men and from what I've been told by friends as well. I am very sexually active and I could have had BB sex with nearly every man I encountered if I had chosen to do so. MAYBE one or two men have even bothered to discuss condom use or even ask if I'm poz or not. I believe that men today think that HIV no longer exists or if they get it, they'll just take 1 pill once a day and be okay...

Bob, New York, 2008-01-03 12:00:26
When I went to an art exhibit of photos of homeless gay youth, an activist named Ben Stock told me that many young guys feel that getting HIV will help them get housing preferences from judges!