title: [A couple-based approach: An innovative effort to tackle HIV infection among Latino gay men.]
abstract: The HIV epidemic is a serious and pervasive health issue in the Latino community. While prevention efforts have helped maintain stability in the overall number of infections among Latinos for more than a decade, this population continues to be affected by HIV at high levels. In particular, Predominantly Spanish-speaking Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Several factors contribute to the HIV epidemic among Predominantly Spanish-speaking Latino MSM including substance use; intimate partner violence; the presence of certain STIs; same-sex relationship dynamics; avoidance of seeking testing counseling and treatment out of fear of discrimination and immigration status; and poverty, migration patterns, and language barriers. In particular, epidemiological behavioral research has identified how relationship dynamics in male couples are associated with sexual risk behavior. Consequently, further research is needed to identify and deliver interventions geared toward couple-based risk reduction among men in same-sex relationships. This paper describes the potential significance that innovative couple-based approaches can have on reducing HIV and AIDS cases among Predominantly Spanish-speaking Latino MSM and their same-sex partners.
authors.affiliation: HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University.
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work at Columbia University.
authors.forename: Elwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Communications and Development Assistant at AID for AIDS International.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sandfort
authors.affiliation: University of Texas-El Paso.
authors.forename: Andrew Z
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Shultz
authors.affiliation: Indiana University-Bloomington.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Capote
authors.affiliation: Immigration Focus Groups (IFG).
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chávez
authors.affiliation: Latino Commission on AIDS.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moya
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porras
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ovejero