An Exploration of Masculinities and Concurrency Among Black Sexual Minority and Majority Men: Implications for HIV/STI Prevention

Abstract

Black sexual minority and majority men experience disproportionate Human Immunodeficiency Virus and sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STI) rates. Identifying the factors and contexts driving these disparities is vital to reduce HIV/STI among Black men. Concurrency, or overlapping sexual partnerships, is partly responsible for driving these disparities. We used multiple masculinity theoretical frameworks to guide our analyses of the relationship between concurrency and masculinities (i.e., variations in the ways that male roles are enacted) among a nationally-representative sample of 1,709 Black men. Data for this study came from the National Survey of Family Growth. Results indicated that heteronormative traditional masculinity ideology was significantly and positively associated with engaging in concurrency. There was a significant positive relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the odds of engaging in concurrency. Additionally, the odds of engaging in concurrency was significantly greater for renters vs. home owners. The odds of engaging in concurrency was significantly lower for sexual minority men vs. sexual majority men. Our study results demonstrate that masculinities, operationalized via heteronormative ideologies, SES, home ownership, and sexual orientation, exert a significant influence on concurrency behavior among Black men. We discuss suggestions for concurrency prevention, condom use, masculine transformation initiatives, and improving SES in future concurrency- and masculinities-related research and interventions intended to reduce HIV/STI disparities among Black sexual minority and majority men.