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Handlovsky I, Wonsiak T, Amato AT, Halpin M, Ferlatte O, Kia H. Between two pandemics: Older, gay men's experiences across HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. SSM. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH 2023; 3:100233. [PMID: 36777813 PMCID: PMC9905043 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2023.100233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Pandemics are a component of human life, and have had great bearing on the trajectory of human evolution. Historically, the biomedical aspects of pandemics have been overrepresented, but there is growing recognition of the degree to which pandemics are socially and culturally embedded, highlighting how virus perception is socially and politically informed. Older (50+), gay men represent a population who have experienced two global pandemics in their lifespans: HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. Although governments and health officials largely failed gay men during the HIV/AIDS pandemic, gay men represent an important source of pandemic information and their experiences have much to offer health professionals and policymakers. As such, a small but growing body of literature has compared gay men's experiences amidst the two pandemics. The current study drew on constructivist grounded theory methods to examine how living through the HIV/AIDS pandemic has influenced older gay men's perspectives of COVID-19. Twenty Canadian-based gay men aged 50+ participated in semi-structured interviews via Zoom. Analysis revealed three key processes: (1) uncertainty and the familiarity of loss, (2) witnessing pandemic inequities, and, (3) navigating constantly evolving (mis)information. We highlight the utility of this knowledge to informing future pandemic planning and policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Handlovsky
- School of Nursing, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
- Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Tessa Wonsiak
- School of Nursing, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Anthony T Amato
- Institute on Aging & Lifelong Health, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
- School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria, 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, BC, V8P 5C2, Canada
- Community-Based Research Centre, 1007-808 Nelson Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2H2, Canada
| | - Michael Halpin
- Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University, Box 15000, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Olivier Ferlatte
- École de Santé Publique de l'Université de Montréal, 7101 Ave. du Parc Montreal, Quebec, H3N 1X9, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Université de Montréal et CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, Canada
| | - Hannah Kia
- UBC School of Social Work, 2080 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6T 2Z3, Canada
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