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MSM Health Study
Who Qualifies for this Study?
For the purposes of this study, we are looking for men who:
Identify as Latino,
Live in northern Manhattan or the Bronx,
Are between the ages of 18 and 35,
Have had sex with a man in the past 12 months,
Would not seek sexual health care services from an organization that is focused on serving men who have sex with men (MSM).
What Are We Doing and Why?
We believe that all men need and are entitled to high quality, comprehensive, confidential, and affordable sexual health services. There are many sexual health care programs in New York City that specifically target men who have sex with men. Some MSM are comfortable going to these programs and others are not. In this study we will interview Latino MSM from northern Manhattan or the Bronx who are not comfortable seeking sexual health care at programs that openly focus on serving MSM. We will explore their preferences regarding sexual health. Our ultimate goal is to embed sexual health services that are inviting to this population into health programs that are open to all men and do not target any specific group.
Description of the Interview:
The interview will be completely ANONYMOUS; we will never ask for your real name or other identifying information, and encourage you to use an alias.
The interview will be digitally recorded so that we make sure all of your answers are recorded accurately.
The interview should last for about one hour and can take place at our office at 60 Haven Ave in Washington Heights or at a location agreed upon by you and the interviewer.
The questions focus on your experiences seeking and receiving sexual health care services in the last few years and not on your sexual behaviors.
To Thank you for Participating…
We will pay you $40 in cash to thank you for your time.
Consent Form:
Click here to access the study consent form which has more information about the study. You will be asked to sign this before your interview.
If you have more questions about the consent process and your rights as a subject in a study, please visit the Internal Review Board’s website at: http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/irb/
For more information please call 646-300-4664.
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The following is a list of the people who work on this study so you can get a sense of the work we have done and what our interests are:
Oswaldo Luciano, MS
Oswaldo is currently the Director of Male Health Education at Columbia University’s Center for Community Health and Education. He previously worked as the Educational Training Manager for the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network. He has a Masters degree in Health Services Management and Policy. Oswaldo has dedicated most of his professional experience to serving underprivileged communities both abroad and in New York City. In the Dominican Republic, where he was born, he created prevention education programs for youth at risk of HIV, domestic violence, STIs, and pregnancy. In New York he has held a variety of positions focused on counseling, health education, training and risk reduction with MSM. In his free time, you can find Oswaldo at the opera, making his friends laugh, planning his next trip or sitting next to his boyfriend in the dog run while Oswaldo's dog, Golfo, plays.
Francisco Ramirez
Originally from California, Francisco Ramirez began working in young men's sexual health in 1997 at UC Berkeley and later at Planned Parenthood, instructing young men and women on comprehensive sexuality education and leading trainings on how to approach positive sexuality with young men. In New York, he has worked in health education at the William F. Ryan Community Health Center and counseled men who have sex with men about HIV vaccine research and risk reduction studies at Project ACHIEVE. He is also an active board member of Latino Gay Men of New York.
Francisco is currently enrolled in an Masters in Public Health Program in NYC.
Bruce Armstrong, DSW
Dr. Bruce Armstrong is a social worker who is on the faculty of Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. He also teaches in Columbia's medical school. He is the founder of the Young Men's Clinic, a sexual health clinic for men located in Washington Heights. He gives presentations on men's sexual health throughout the country. He ensures that the Young Men's Clinic maintains links with agencies that provide services to male patients, including those agencies who specialize in services for the MSM community.
Dave Bell
Dr. David L. Bell is on the faculty of Pediatrics and Public Health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Dr. Bell also is the Medical Director and chief physician at the Young Men’s Clinic. In his work at the clinic, he serves all men openly and equally, regardless of sexual behavior or identities. He has appeared on MTV, BET, and CBS, promoting male health issues.
Debra Kalmuss, PhD
Dr. Kalmuss is on faculty of the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and is the Director of Research at the Young Men’s Clinic. She has spent the last 20 years, doing research on sexual and reproductive health in Latino and African-American communities, , particularly those in New York City. For many years her research focused on women and the risks to their sexual and reproductive health. At one point she woke up to the fact that men have sexual health needs as well. Her research is now exclusively focused on how to increase men’s access to comprehensive, high quality, affordable and respectful sexual health care services
