Data Collection and Reporting
This study seeks to understand the unique experiences of gay and bisexual men who live in culturally conservative, rural communities and the implications of these experiences for the provision of health care. Researchers administered qualitative interviews to 44 individuals to determine the ways that their environments impacted their health and social behaviors. Results of this study revealed the powerful role that stigma plays in inhibiting access to health care and social support networks. The authors emphasize the need for greater discussion and awareness campaigns around stigma as an etiologic factor that impacts the health and well-being of rural gay and bisexual men. This is especially important in light of the fact that the incidence of HIV in America is particularly prevalent in rural communities where there are dispersed populations, fewer health care resources, and a lack of culturally responsive providers that understand the needs of stigmatized populations.