LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Safe: Embarks on Research Project with Columbia University |
by Salvatore Seeley |
Are gay/bisexual men participating in more risky sexual behavior (barebacking, increased drug-use) when they come to Rehoboth Beach or when they are at home? The answer might seem obvious to some but this question has been on the minds of many researchers who work in the HIV Prevention Field. Rehoboth Beach is unofficially known as the "gay capital" of the Mid-Atlantic. Each year thousands of gay men come to the resort area from Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia and many other locations. Just like many other gay resortssuch as Provincetown and Key WestRehoboth Beach attracts gay men who come here and leave behind community norms of safer sexual behaviors they have established in their own home communities. These men increase their sexual risk-taking due to a number of factors. CAMPsafe is conducting a sexuality study on the sexual behavior of MSMs who live in and visit a "gay" resort area and how the availability of drugs, alcohol and easy accessibility to casual sex partners affect risk behaviors. The study that CAMPsafe is currently doing is supported by Columbia University, The HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies and the New York Psychiatric Institute. In the Fall of 2001, CAMPsafe staff was invited to participate in a research program called STAR (Sexuality Training and Research). The program invites community based organizations to learn skills and conduct research that fits into the participant's community. Each participant is assigned a mentor who helps out with the research project; from creation of the research tool to the dissemination stage of the research project. Upon returning from the training, CAMPsafe staff developed a survey tool to distribute among gay/bisexual men who came to the beach during the summer of 2001. The survey tool is in three forms: a brochure to hand out at various gay/bisexual events; web-based, and survey format in Letters. The survey is going to collect information about risk-taking. CAMPsafe has enlisted volunteers in DC, Philly, Baltimore and Northern Virginia to help with the data collection. We are very excited to be part of this research project. CAMPsafe is setting a precedent in research with gay and bisexual men that looks at risk-taking at home versus on vacation. As part of this research project, this summer we will be working with an HIV prevention agency that works with gay/bi men in P-Town to collect data. This fall, we will present a research paper that outlines our findings. Stay tuned for our findings to be published here in Letters. If you have a moment, we need your input. If you are a gay/bisexual male who came to Rehoboth during the summer of 2001, take the time to go online and fill out the survey, or you can fill out the survey in upcoming issues of Letters. The link is: http://infopoll.net/Live/surveys/s15859.htm. CAMPsafe Community Advisory Board Members Sought Members of the gay/bisexual community are needed to serve on the first CAMPsafe Advisory Board (CAB). We're eager to begin promoting CAMPsafe for the 2002 season. By working with local business owners, leaders in the gay and bi-sexual men's community, and the social network of gay and bi-sexual men who socialize here throughout the year, we hope to raise the level of awareness of the importance of safe sex. CAMPsafe would be pleased if you would consider an invitation to join the Board and assist us in our efforts to provide HIV preventions services to our community. The CAB will meet on a bi-monthly basis to provide input to the CAMPsafe program. Our first meeting will be held on March 27th at CAMP Rehoboth. CAMPsafe is an HIV/AIDS education and prevention program of CAMP Rehoboth. For more information, call Salvatore Seeley at 302-227-5620. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 12, No. 02, March 8, 2002. |