The following is a summary of “Perspectives of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination among racially and ethnically diverse gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men with and without HIV in the US South: findings from qualitative individual in-depth interviews,” published in the February 2025 issue of Infectious Diseases by Waldman et al.
COVID-19 affected specific groups, including gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), influenced by healthcare access, underlying conditions, and social determinants of health.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to explore perspectives and experiences regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination, and health care among GBMSM.
They gathered, examined, and interpreted qualitative in-depth interview data from 30 diverse GBMSM participants (N = 30) in North Carolina, USA. Through purposive sampling, 15 native English speakers (n = 15), 15 native Spanish speakers (n = 15), 13 individuals living with HIV (n = 13), and 17 without HIV (n = 17) were recruited. Data were analyzed using the constant comparison method based on grounded theory.
The results showed that participants had a mean age of 33.4 years (SD = 8.5), 16 themes emerged and were grouped into 5 domains: trust and mistrust of politicians, healthcare professionals, and the US government (n = 4 themes); adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures (n = 2 themes); views on COVID-19 vaccination (n = 3 themes); healthcare access and utilization (n = 4 themes); and the impact of COVID-19 on social determinants and mental health (n = 3 themes).
Investigators concluded that addressing the unique needs of diverse communities enhanced equitable public health responses and preparedness for future outbreaks and preventive healthcare efforts.
Source: bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-025-10583-5
