A key focus for improving efforts to engage the Black MSM community in preventive HIV clinical trials is building and maintaining equitable and reciprocal partnerships among research institutions, Black-led AIDS service organizations and community-based organizations, and community members.

Men who sleep with men (MSM) and transgender individuals of color, the largest demographic in the House Ball community (HBC) are amongst the group at highest risk for HIV infection in the United States. The HBC have limited access to culturally appropriate HIV education. This study aimed to develop a partnership with HBC leaders to uncover strategies for increasing HIV prevention knowledge, including participation in HIV vaccine trials. To this end a research institution-community-HBC partnership was established. In-depth qualitative and quantitative data were collected from the 14 HBC leaders in western New York, revealing that knowledge of HIV and related vaccine trials was limited. Barriers to increasing HIV knowledge included fear of peer judgment, having inaccurate information about HIV, and lack of education. Among the HBC, community partnerships will further aid in the development of future HIV prevention programs and increase individuals’ willingness to participate in future HIV vaccine trials.

Background or Objectives: Worldwide, men who have sex with men (MSM) and Transgender persons are vulnerable to psychosocial factors associated with high risk for HIV, and suffer disproportionately high rates of HIV/AIDS. In the United States (US), the House Ball Community (HBC) is a social network comprised predominantly of Black and Hispanic MSM and Transgender persons who reside in communal settings. This study explores Western New York HBC leaders’ perceptions of HIV in their communities and their knowledge of HIV prevention strategies, including HIV vaccine trials. Methods: The project was conducted using an exploratory approach based on the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods. An HIV behavioral risk assessment provided descriptive data, while qualitative measures explored psychosocial and behavioral factors. Results: Behavioral assessments indicated high levels of risky sexual behaviors and experiences of violence. Interviews with 14 HBC leaders revealed that knowledge of HIV and local HIV vaccines trials was limited. Barriers to HIV knowledge included fear of peer judgment, having inaccurate information, and lack of formal education. Experiencing violence was identified as barrier to positive health behavior. Nevertheless, the HBC was described as a safe and creative space for marginalized MSM and Transgender youth. Conclusion and Global Health Implications: Findings suggest that the interrelation between health problems and social context amplify HIV risk in the HBC. The organizational structure and resources of the HBC, and MSM/Transgender communities worldwide can be instrumental in informing interventions to address HIV-related risk behaviors and create appropriate recruitment tools to ensure their representation in HIV research. Key words: • LGBT • HIV • MSM • Transgender populations • MSM/Transgender psychosocial • HIV risk factors • HIV and black/Latino MSM • Syndemic factors • MSM/Transgender communities   Copyright © 2020 Alio et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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