Why do homosexuals have aids

Some of the reasons are based on certain types of sex that result in greater risk of infection due to how HIV is biologically transmitted. Not all gay men engage in anal sex. However, anal sex is one of the main reasons that gay men have higher rates of HIV. Scientists have estimated that the average HIV transmission rate during anal sex is 18 times higher than the rate during vaginal intercourse.

The risk of acquiring HIV during an act of unprotected anal intercourse is estimated to be 1. Some heterosexual men and women also engage in anal sex. However, there's another biological factor that makes anal sex riskier for gay men. They are much more likely to engage in both "topping" and "bottoming," or penetrating and receiving.

This is known as role variability, and it has been shown to increase HIV transmission risk. Men who practice receptive, unprotected anal intercourse are at higher risk of contracting HIV. When men do both, the combination of behaviors optimizes the spread of HIV in a way not seen in heterosexual couples.

In heterosexual couples, men are far more likely to penetrate and women to be penetrated. Because of this, HIV is far more likely to spread from the male partner to the female partner than vice versa. Social institutions also play a role in the increased risk of HIV among gay men.

In particular, it's been shown that homophobia makes it more difficult for gay men to access health care. A lack of reliable access to care can make a big difference in the spread of HIV.

It can lead to delays in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection. People are often most infectious during acute new infection. Prompt, effective treatment is also very important, as the treatment reduces infectivity. In addition, certain groups of gay men are at a particularly high risk for another reason.

Their risk is high because a large percentage of their potential partners are infected with the virus. Where more people in the community have HIV, there is a higher risk that someone will be exposed. This is particularly problematic for black MSM. They often date within very small communities.

That's true even when their behavioral and lifestyle choices are safer. For example, they are less likely to use drugs during sex. However, it's not just the higher risk of their partner pool that causes this disparity. These issues reflect systemic healthcare inequities related to race. People sometimes stigmatize gay men for their high risk of HIV. They claim that they engage in riskier behaviors, or make moral judgments about what it means to be gay. However, AIDS isn't a gay disease.

In fact, around the world, most sexually transmitted cases of HIV are spread through heterosexual intercourse. It's not primarily high-risk behavior that puts gay men at such a high risk of HIV. It's a higher susceptibility due to the type of sexual encounters as well as limitations in access to care. This arrangement has been devastating for members of the LGBTQ community, since the little funding that does exist for HIV prevention, treatment, and care has not been focused on or funded in the communities most impacted by HIV.

The Ryan White Care Program , for instance, has been flat funded i. In more than 30 states, people living with HIV can be tried and imprisoned simply because a partner accuses them of withholding their HIV status. HIV tests are faster and more reliable than ever before.

President Obama also signed the Affordable Care Act into law, which, among other things, prohibited insurance companies from denying people health insurance on the basis of a pre-existing condition like HIV and expanded Medicaid coverage to include many low-income people living with HIV.

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Some people contract the virus when they have sex without a condom or other barrier method. The virus can be transmitted when someone with HIV shares needles, syringes, or other drug equipment with another person.

Some people have contracted HIV after a blood transfusion or organ transplant that contained the virus. But because donor blood and organs have been routinely tested for HIV since , the chance of this happening today is very low. This may be because, according to a report , Black and Hispanic gay and bisexual men are less likely to take preventive medication. The reasons for this include the stigma surrounding same-sex experiences and the stress of enduring racism, discrimination, and racist systems that play a part in healthcare inequities.

Today, while many nations have more progressive policies, some areas across Africa, Russia, and the Middle East continue to enforce laws against same-sex activity. This cuts off access to preventive HIV care for these individuals. Stigma plays a significant role in HIV transmission, despite advances in prevention and treatment.

Even in areas where same-sex activity is legal, the fear of stigma and discrimination that comes along with it can drive men to hide their sexual identity from healthcare professionals. This creates a barrier to testing and preventive treatment. The stigma attached to HIV may also prevent people aware of their HIV-positive status from accessing and maintaining treatment to suppress their viral load and help stop the spread.

The chance of transmission is higher during anal sex without a condom or other barrier method than vaginal sex without a condom or other barrier method. This is because the skin around the anus is thinner than the skin around the vagina, so small tears are more likely to occur during anal sex. Early diagnosis and treatment for HIV are important. Treatment with antiretroviral therapy prevents progression to AIDS.

People at higher risk of HIV may benefit from more frequent testing, such as every 3 to 6 months. Not all MSM follow these recommendations.