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Implicit Bias In HIV Awareness, Care Is Killing Gay Men Of Color

The CDC reports one out of every two black gay men in America will contract HIV.

Bias is something we all grapple with, whether it comes from malice, misinformation or ignorance.

But when you're talking about HIV/AIDS, implicit bias can kill: One out of every two black gay men will contract HIV in his lifetime, and new infection rates among young gay men of color continue to skyrocket. (From 2005 to 2014, the diagnosis rate increased 87%.)

Today, NASTAD, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors) announced the launch of His Health, a new site to help healthcare professionals unlearn racial bias and elevate the quality of medical care for black men who have sex with men.

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“Finding a good doctor as a black gay man with HIV is incredibly difficult,” said NASTAD's Terrance Moore.

“Research shows that implicit bias stops many doctors from providing high-quality care to black Americans. Add to that a lack of understanding about the sexual health care needs of LGBT patients—and many men I know would rather stay home."

Indeed, many doctors are lacking in basic understanding of gay men's health issues—only one in three know what PrEP is, for example.

The His Health site:

* Provides accredited online courses that count toward renewing medical credentials.

* Offers examples of innovative models of care, including sexual-health campaigns rooted in ball culture or started by LGBT youth of color.

* Gives access to resources for high quality, culturally affirming healthcare for black men who have sex with men.

“Doctors and nurses desperately wish to offer culturally affirming healthcare that is stigma free to black LGBT patients," says Omoro Omoighe, associate director of Health Equity and Health Care Access at NASTAD.

"Now they have the tools necessary to tackle implicit bias and feel more confident in their ability to uplift the standard of care.”

The His Health platform was developed for MSM of color and their healthcare providers, in partnership with NASTAD and the Health Resources Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA/HAB)

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