What is His Health?

His Health is the product of collaboration among Black gay men, healthcare and service providers, public health professionals, federal health agencies, LGBT advocates, and community stakeholders. This dynamic training tool provides continuing education courses led by experts, portraits of innovative models of care, and a plethora of evidence-based resources to support the delivery of high-quality, culturally affirming healthcare services for Black men who have sex with men (MSM). By fostering a sense of shared responsibility among providers, patients, and care-system stakeholders, His Health is the medium through which we will improve the wellness of Black gay men together.

Why His Health?

For too long, public health stakeholders have placed the responsibility for reducing HIV transmission among Black gay men solely upon the patient. Healthcare providers’ demand for efficacious tools and resources are largely unmet. NASTAD has partnered with the Health Resources and Service’s Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA-HAB) to do something about this issue. Together, we have engaged various stakeholders to develop an inventory of effective tools, models of care, resources, and trainings designed to help providers feel confident about their abilities to offer superior health care to Black MSM patient communities. The result is His Health, an interactive online community where providers can learn, share, and nurture a lifetime of meaningful patient engagement.

The Patient – Provider Relationship

His Health recognizes the following:

• All providers want to give their patients the best care—but some may not know where to start.
• Patients and practitioners are sometimes uncomfortable because they don’t understand each other’s needs.
• Good health care for Black gay men includes partnerships with healthcare providers that are rooted in trust, respect, and humility.
• When coupled with good clinical practices, cultural competency results in better patient engagement and retention in care for Black gay men.  

His Health and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program

The value of the Ryan White program to the health of Black gay men living with HIV/AIDS is unparalleled. Black MSM who are engaged in the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program are more likely to achieve viral suppression than their counterparts who seek care elsewhere. Black MSM who access specific supportive services through the Ryan White programs are also more likely to achieve viral suppression than their counterparts who do not utilize the same services.

Implementing public-health programming targeted to the unique needs of Black MSM is essential to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic.  Providers, health services, and public health systems serving Black MSM have inherent responsibilities to implement culturally informed services for these patients.