‘A Social, Structural, and Intersectional Analysis of HIV Status Disclosure Among Black Gay and Bisexual Men Living with HIV in the Deep South’

Chadwick K. Campbell, MPH

This dissertation takes a sociological approach to understanding the dynamics of HIV disclosure among Black gay and bisexual men living with HIV (BGBM-LWH) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. BGBM, existing at the intersections of race, class, and sexuality, account for the majority of new infections in the state of Louisiana, and their experiences are embedded in a culture of silence and shame around sexuality and HIV. HIV status disclosure has been, and continues to be privileged in public health research, as it is seen as critical to educating others, reducing sexual transmission, and garnering needed social support. At the individual level, however, exploring the disclosure process requires an understanding of previous experiences, social environments, and the dynamics of social relationships as HIV risk, diagnosis, and disclosure are each embedded in ongoing social relations. This project expands on sociological and public health literatures to produce an analysis of HIV disclosure that places social and structural environment at the center, as opposed to the individual, and offers new sites for research and intervention.

Contact [email protected] for Zoom link and password