The Role of Black Christian Churches In The Lives of Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men YBMSM

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The Role of Black Christian Churches In The Lives
of Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (YBMSM)

• Michael Leonardo Foster, EdD
• Susan Kegeles, PhD
• Greg Rebchook, PhD
• University-wide AIDS Research Program
• National Institute of Health

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Overview

• Aim
• Background
• Methods
• Role of church during childhood
• Role of church during adulthood
• Implications
• Conclusions

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AIM To explore the association between
religiosity/spirituality and HIV serostatus for
YBMSM
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Background

• In 2003, Blacks12.3 of US population 54 of
  all HIV/AIDS diagnoses
• Traditional Christian church is significant in
  Black communities

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Methods

• 31 YBMSM, ages 19-30 years
• 15 HIV and 16 HIV-
• Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, though
  interviewed in SF
• Fliers at 5 CBOs in Oakland/San Francisco
  Street Outreach

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Methods (continued)

• Summer 2002 through Summer 2003
• To explore the role of religion in the lives of
  YBMSM in association with HIV serostatus

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Methods (continued)

• 90-minute private interview using semi-structured
  protocol with probes
• 4 questions on religion or spirituality
• Tape-recorded, transcribed, entered in AtlasTI
  and coded thematically

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Role of Church During Childhood

• Going to church was significant for every YBMSM
  in the sample
• Attended traditional Christian churches
• Varied slightly by frequency of attendance and
  context of worship (denomination)

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Role of Church During Childhood (continued)

• Church attendance mostly related to famly
  influence tradition
• For 1 YBMSM attendance related to social norm
• By adolescence, YBMSM went to church for its
  social component

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Role of Church During Adulthood

• Varied by Frequency of Church Attendance
• Varied by Context of Worship

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Frequency of Church Attendance

• Non-attendanceAtheist. Non-church goer
• Sporadicspotty church attendance
• Regularregular, weekly attendance

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Context of Worship

• Atheistnon-practicing
• Spiritualpersonal prayer, gospel music
• Non-Christianworld religions, such as Buddihist,
  Hinduism, etc.
• Gay-friendlyopen and affirming churches
• Traditional ChristianBaptist, Christian, etc.

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Religiosity/Spirituality Among YBMSM, Divided By
HIV Serostatus
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Characteristics of HIV YBMSMs Practice of
Religion/Spirituality

• HIV YBMSM
• Most either went to traditional Christian
  churches or prayed at home
• 1 HIV YBMSM became an Atheist
• All sought spiritual guidance in dealing with
  lifes issues, sanctification, cleansing of sins

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Characteristics of HIV- YBMSMs Practice of
Religion/Spirituality

• HIV- YBMSM
• Ran the gamut in terms of frequency and context
  of church attendance
• No HIV- YBMSM was an Atheist
• None worshipped at traditional Christian churches
  regularly
• When HIV- YBMSM attended church, they preferred
  non-Christian or gay-friendly churches

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Implications

• Church, religiosity and spirituality important to
  YBMSM
• HIV YBMSM, in particular, gain a sense of
  assurance from church and prayer
• HIV YBMSM seem especially sensitive to
  homophobia from church and often retreated to
  personal prayer

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Implications (continued)

• For all YBMSM, homophobia judgment were primary
  reasons for discontinuing their Christian church
  attendance
• HIV- YBMSM negotiated a more flexible
  relationship with church and practiced
  religion/spirituality in numerous ways

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Conclusions

• Lots of potential for church-based HIV/AIDS
  prevention intervention ministries
• Such initiatives must be situated in
  non-homophobic, non-judmental contexts
• Most potential at open and affirming churches and
  other non-traditional church settings