Overcoming Barriers: Enhancing Sexual Health Services for Atlanta's Latino Community
Abstract
Background: In the summer of 2023, we piloted a bilingual sexual health peer-navigation program in Metropolitan Atlanta, designed to connect Latino gay and bisexual men (LGBM) to free or low-cost, local, culturally relevant HIV and STI services. We report LGBM experiences accessing these services.
Methods: Through a rapid qualitative assessment, we explored the experiences of LGBM enrolled in our sexual health peer-navigation program from May to August 2023. Data was collected through hybrid qualitative and quantitative exit interviews. We applied the Sekhon Acceptability framework and direct user feedback after service referral.
Results: Of 167 participants enrolled in the peer-navigation services, we interviewed 50 participants. Mean age was 32 years, and participants predominantly identified as cisgender men (95.7%), of which 67% reported being gay and 29% bisexual. Participants resided in various Metro Atlanta counties and were primarily Spanish-speaking with diverse immigration statuses. All participants reported high acceptability of the navigation program itself. They found it accessible and helpful in linking them to services. However, participants also reported significant challenges with actual service delivery, including scheduling conflicts, prolonged wait times, limited availability of bilingual medical and support staff, and complex procedural requirements for service enrollment and in-clinic navigation, all of which cumulatively hinder access to care.
Conclusion: Despite highly-acceptable peer navigation services, LGBM continue to face challenges in accessing sexual health services in Metropolitan Atlanta. Our findings underscore an important unmet demand for systemic enhancements to facilitate equitable access to sexual health services for LGBM living in Metropolitan Atlanta. Strategic improvements should prioritize after-hour service availability, bilingual telehealth solutions, in-clinic navigational support, enrollment assistance, and amplifying the recruitment and training of bilingual healthcare professionals at all care levels.
Keywords: Sexual Health, Access to Care, Bilingual Providers, Navigation, Metropolitan Atlanta
Keywords
Sexual Health, Access to Care, Bilingual Providers, Navigation, Metropolitan Atlanta
Overcoming Barriers: Enhancing Sexual Health Services for Atlanta's Latino Community
Background: In the summer of 2023, we piloted a bilingual sexual health peer-navigation program in Metropolitan Atlanta, designed to connect Latino gay and bisexual men (LGBM) to free or low-cost, local, culturally relevant HIV and STI services. We report LGBM experiences accessing these services.
Methods: Through a rapid qualitative assessment, we explored the experiences of LGBM enrolled in our sexual health peer-navigation program from May to August 2023. Data was collected through hybrid qualitative and quantitative exit interviews. We applied the Sekhon Acceptability framework and direct user feedback after service referral.
Results: Of 167 participants enrolled in the peer-navigation services, we interviewed 50 participants. Mean age was 32 years, and participants predominantly identified as cisgender men (95.7%), of which 67% reported being gay and 29% bisexual. Participants resided in various Metro Atlanta counties and were primarily Spanish-speaking with diverse immigration statuses. All participants reported high acceptability of the navigation program itself. They found it accessible and helpful in linking them to services. However, participants also reported significant challenges with actual service delivery, including scheduling conflicts, prolonged wait times, limited availability of bilingual medical and support staff, and complex procedural requirements for service enrollment and in-clinic navigation, all of which cumulatively hinder access to care.
Conclusion: Despite highly-acceptable peer navigation services, LGBM continue to face challenges in accessing sexual health services in Metropolitan Atlanta. Our findings underscore an important unmet demand for systemic enhancements to facilitate equitable access to sexual health services for LGBM living in Metropolitan Atlanta. Strategic improvements should prioritize after-hour service availability, bilingual telehealth solutions, in-clinic navigational support, enrollment assistance, and amplifying the recruitment and training of bilingual healthcare professionals at all care levels.
Keywords: Sexual Health, Access to Care, Bilingual Providers, Navigation, Metropolitan Atlanta
