Structural Violence, Community, and Access to HIV Care Services: A Community Engagement Action Research and New Findings from Global Men’s Health and Rights Study..

Men who have sex with men are at 22 times greater risk of contracting HIV compared to other male groups. In 2019, men who have sex with men and bisexual men accounted for nearly one in four new HIV infections worldwide. Contextual factors such as the criminalization of male-to-male sexual relationships, structural barriers such as sexual stigma, and individual-level factors such as psychological stress hinder continuous access to necessary HIV care services. On the other hand, community-level factors such as community engagement enable men who have sex with men and bisexual men to access HIV care services. These compounding factors are important because access to HIV services is essential to prevent new infections and to maintain the health of those living with HIV. Therefore, examining barriers and facilitators to HIV and other support service access is necessary to inform program development, policy advocacy, and policy strengthening on the health and rights of men who have sex with men and bisexual men.

This report presents national and global-level research findings (in Kenya and Vietnam) from the Access for Rights! Action Research and the Global Men’s Health and Rights Study (GMHR-4). Using a community-based participatory action research approach (CBPAR) and a mixed-methods design, the report highlights the importance of community engagement in addressing HIV and other health concerns among men who have sex with men and bisexual men.

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