Gay Men and Health

Gay men are male-identified individuals who have an attraction toward other men and develop a sexual orientation that celebrates this identity. As a group, gay men cope with unique health concerns and experiences health disparities that make them more likely to have to deal with psychological, social, sexual, and physiologic/pathogenic problems (e.g., depression, addiction, relationship dysfunction, and, most notably, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases [STDs]). This entry provides a brief historical context to gay men’s health, delves into the distinctive problems that disproportionately affect this group, reviews the demographic and social moderating factors that increase the severity of conditions, and concludes with future directions of study.