Gay, bisexual men at higher HIV risk in major U.S. cities

A recent study has found that 1 in 5 gay or bisexual men living in 21 major cities across the country have HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also, the findings show that approximately half of these individuals are unaware of their sexual health status, according to HealthNewsDigest.com.

In an effort to improve the screening and treatment opportunities for this population, the the Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC) published a report listing ways to prevent contributing factors to the rising number of positive cases. Suggestions for remedying this epidemic included sex ed classes that feature gay-affirming curriculum and efforts to fight anti-gay stigmas, including portrayals of the community as the cause of HIV spreading nationwide.

"We need to increase new approaches toward HIV prevention with gay men, [as] many of the current approaches are not working," said Sean Cahill, managing director of public policy, research and community health at GMHC. He told the news source that "the jump in new HIV infections among young gay men is part of a broader decline in sexual health for the nation as a whole."

In 2006, of the estimated 56,300 new cases of HIV in the U.S., approximately 53 percent were diagnosed in gay or bisexual men, the CDC reports.