Here is an important work that uniquely focuses on both gay/queer-self-identified men from diverse minority communities (African American, Latino, Native American, Asian and Pacific Islander) and men of these ethnic communities who have sex with men but are not gay/queer-self-identified. Each section of this edited book is devoted to a particular health issue affecting minority MSM, and consists of one or more scholarly chapters that address the particular issue.

This volume of Advances in Medical Sociology showcases rich theoretical and empirical contributions on SGM health and wellbeing. The chapters address a variety of topics, drawing from classic and contemporary sociological frameworks and constructs, and reflecting intersecting interdisciplinary approaches to SGM health.

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.

Most public health students, academicians, and practitioners recognize the association between racial/ethnic minority status and the disproportionate burden of preventable disease in the United States. Much less attention has been directed, however, toward health disparities that affect gay and bisexual men. These disparities affect the lives of an estimated 5.3-7.4 million American men, and are an important concern for public health. Until very recently, the relative invisibility of this group and a paucity of empirical data have hampered attempts to identify health disparities experienced by gay and bisexual men. This book proposes to review and synthesize evidence of health disparities among gay and bisexual men, identify individual and community factors that contribute to these disparities, and articulate strategies for public health efforts to eliminate disparities. To date, these disparities have been largely discussed in isolation in the research literature in a manner that does not permit a comprehensive examination of these problems, their underlying causes, and potential solutions. Thus, a primary emphasis of the book will be to document health disparities among gay and bisexual men while also describing public health solutions to these challenges.

Background: Medical mistrust and trust significantly impact a variety of health behaviors and outcomes, widening health inequities among minoritized populations. While medical mistrust has been extensively studied, particularly among Black men, less is known about medical mistrust among sexual minority men (SMM). Additionally, research on medical trust is limited as most studies examine medical mistrust.This dissertation examines medical mistrust and trust in a sample of racially and ethnically diverse young sexual minority men (SMM; e.g., gay, queer, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men) in three ways: 1) to validate a scale commonly used to measure mistrust (Group-Based Medical Mistrust [GBMMS] and Group-Based Medical Mistrust-Sexual Orientation and Gender Minority [GBMMS-SGM]), 2) to examine medical mistrust within SMM by racial and ethnic group, 3) to validate Trust in Physician Scale (TIPS) among SMM. As such, this dissertation contains three articles.Methods: The GBMMS, GBMMS-SGM, and TIPS scales' factor structure were evaluated using Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) with a promax (oblique) rotation. To assess and compare medical mistrust among SMM, a one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to examine variations in race-based medical mistrust (GBMMS scores) and medical mistrust attributed to sexual/gender minority group status (GBMMS-SGM scores) by race (Black, Latinx, White, 0́−Other0́+). One-way ANOVAs were conducted separately for each scale to examine pair-wise differences in GBMMS and GBMMS-SGM scores between race and ethnic groups. Results: The GBMMS, GBMMS-SGM, and TIPS scales are valid and reliable measures for evaluating medical mistrust among this population. Additionally, this study found significant differences in race-based medical mistrust by race and that there may be meaningful differences in medical mistrust attributed to sexual/gender minority status by race. Conclusion: This dissertation provides the first validation of mistrust and trust-related scales among SMM. This study also demonstrates the need for more research examining the many facets of medical mistrust and trust among SMM. These findings can be used to develop culturally sensitive and appropriate programs and interventions that focus on addressing barriers to healthcare utilization for SMM and other minorized populations.

At a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals-often referred to under the umbrella acronym LGBT-are becoming more visible in society and more socially acknowledged, clinicians and researchers are faced with incomplete information about their health status. While LGBT populations often are combined as a single entity for research and advocacy purposes, each is a distinct population group with its own specific health needs. Furthermore, the experiences of LGBT individuals are not uniform and are shaped by factors of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographical location, and age, any of which can have an effect on health-related concerns and needs. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People assesses the state of science on the health status of LGBT populations, identifies research gaps and opportunities, and outlines a research agenda for the National Institute of Health. The report examines the health status of these populations in three life stages: childhood and adolescence, early/middle adulthood, and later adulthood. At each life stage, the committee studied mental health, physical health, risks and protective factors, health services, and contextual influences. To advance understanding of the health needs of all LGBT individuals, the report finds that researchers need more data about the demographics of these populations, improved methods for collecting and analyzing data, and an increased participation of sexual and gender minorities in research. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People is a valuable resource for policymakers, federal agencies including the National Institute of Health (NIH), LGBT advocacy groups, clinicians, and service providers.