"We're just targeted as the flock that has HIV": health care experiences of members of the house/ball culture.
The house/ball community is an understudied sub-group of young Black men who have sex with men and transgender persons in urban centers of the United States who affiliate in social structures called houses and gather at elaborate dance and performance events called balls. In Charlotte, North Carolina, 12 house/ball members were interviewed about their experiences with health care providers and their assessment of any barriers to care due to their affiliation with the rather clandestine house/ball sub-culture. Additionally, HIV-specific health care providers were interviewed, to assess their knowledge of the sub-culture. House/ball members reported both positive and negative perceptions of treatment by their health care providers with respect to their house/ball involvement. Some reported feeling stigmatized, especially around HIV status. Results showed that increased knowledge about the house/ball community could improve practitioners' cultural competence, thereby reducing stigma-related barriers to care.
a Social Work , University of North Carolina at Charlotte , Charlotte , North Carolina , USA.
Diana
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Rowan
Maysa
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DeSousa
Ethan Makai
EM
Randall
Chelsea
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White
Lamont
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Holley
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003469:Culture; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D057545:Social Stigma; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000208:ethnology; D063106:Transgender Persons / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult; D005260:Female
HIV; House/Ball culture; MSM; ballroom community; cultural tailoring; health disparities