Public Health Report: Methods, Challenges, and Research on HIV for MSM

This report delves into the challenges and methodologies of HIV research, specifically focusing on Men who have Sex with Men (MSM). It begins by outlining the aims and research questions, including understanding the basis of HIV infection, analysing the increased risk among gay men, and exploring prevention strategies. The report then reviews relevant literature, highlighting the importance of surveillance systems in understanding local HIV epidemics. The methodology section emphasizes the use of qualitative research to understand the behaviours and factors influencing HIV transmission within the MSM community. It also discusses the use of respondent-driven sampling, time-location sampling, and internet-based recruitment methods. The findings emphasize the need for accurate sampling methods within surveillance systems. The report concludes by referencing key studies and emphasizing the significance of understanding the dynamics of HIV transmission among specific populations.

Public Health

Aims and Research Question
 Aims: “HIV Research with Men who Have Sex with Men (MSM):
Advantages and Challenges of Different Methods for Most
Appropriately Targeting a Key Population”.
 Question Formulation
 What is the basis understanding of HIV infection?
 How to analyse the increased possibility of HIV infection in gay men?
 What are the ways to prevent the HIV infection among gay men?

Literature Review
 As per views given by Ana Gama, Maria O. Martins and Sónia Dias
(2017), HIV/AIDS investigation aids in providing a deep knowledge of
local epidemics which covers the reservoir and all possible sources of
infections over a period of time.
 It also includes the biological and behavioural elements influencing the
transmission. Such surveillance provide a solid bade for evaluating and
designing suitable interventions.

Research Methodology
 This study will focus on qualitative research method which is
favourable to understand the behaviour of gay men and reason behind
why they are more likely to gain infection of HIV. It is suitable to
analyse the other facts and aspects behind HIV infections in Gay men to
gin appropriate findings.

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 Additionally, Respondent driven sampling method have also been
designed specifically to avoid biases related to chain referral and venue
based method. This method have been widely applied to more than 120
studies.

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 Time location sampling (TLS) is the another approach which has been
considering in recent years. TLS is a venue-based method which is used
for sampling of population, especially population of sex between men
and have an advantage that such populations tend to gather at specific
locations. Population

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 Internet is being widely used by MSM to search online partners. Thus
internet is also providing methods for recruiting MSM in HIV research.
 There are number of advantages of this method such as faster sampling,
lower cost of operations and high level of anonymity which helps to
catch more MSM partners without disclosing their sexual status

Findings
 Considering the above investigation, it has been analysed that it is very
essential to gain understanding about epidemics of HIV (AIDS) and
high surveillance systems.
 It is observed that accurate methods of sampling can be consider at the
core of any surveillance systems with high quality for carrying out track
transmission dynamics among select populations.

References
 Murphy, P.J. and et. al., 2016. Serostatus disclosure, stigma resistance,
and identity management among HIV-positive gay men in
Ireland. Qualitative health research, 26(11), pp.1459-1472.
 Ferlatte, O. and et. al., 2017. Stigma and suicide among gay and
bisexual men living with HIV. AIDS care, 29(11), pp.1346-1350.
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