A recent study published in Social Science and Medicine examines how incarceration and police discrimination, which have roots in enforcing white supremacy and societal heterosexism, are associated with pressing health crises among Black sexual minority men like depression, anxiety, and HIV. The study found that 43% of Black sexual minority men surveyed experienced police discrimination in the past year, and that police discrimination and incarceration are negatively linked to PrEP willingness.
The study is the work of Rutgers School of Public Health in Piscataway, NJ, the City University of New York (CUNY), George Washington University in Washington, DC, and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA.
“Evidence suggests Black sexual minority men in the United States may face some of the highest rates of policing and incarceration in the world,” notes lead author Devin English, Ph.D for an article in Medical News Today.
“Despite this,” English points out, “research examining the health impacts of the [United States] carceral system rarely focuses on their experiences. This study helps to address this gap.”
Access the study here.
