• Madhu Bala Kaushik

There is a high risk of HIV infection among African American young men who have sex with men (AAYMSM) from the House and Ball groups. Since these communities are not only sources of risk, but also support for AAYMSM, the resources these communities possess must also be considered by researchers. This awareness can help to devise more successful strategies for prevention and approaches to intervention. The current research illustrates the effect of minority stress on the psychological well-being of a group of MSM from the Los Angeles House and Ball populations, using Minority Stress Theory as a basis, and explores how these factors influence the relationship between minority stress and psychological well-being. Over the course of a year, surveys were administered to participants. To approximate a model of the interactions between minority stressors, help, social network interaction, and psychological well-being/distress (N=233), structural equation modeling was used. Important correlations between various sources of minority stress, including distal minority stress (e.g., racism, homophobia), gay identity, and internalized homophobia were shown in the findings. In contrast, minority stressors were substantially correlated with higher distress. The effects of distal minority stress on distress were substantially reduced by higher instrumental support, however. Greater social network linkage has also substantially decreased stress associated with gay distress recognition. The results capture the multiple sources of minority stress experienced by this population and how mental health consequences are interrelated with these stressors. Results also demonstrate how the negative effect of minority stress interactions can be reduced by help from and relation to social networks.

African American Young Men Who Have Sex With Men (AAYMSM), HIV Infection, Lesbian Gay and Bisexual (LGB), Unprotected Anal Intercourse (UAI).

"The Effect inside the Los Angeles House and Ball Communities of Support and Access to Social Networks", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 3, page no.639-642, March-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIREO06146.pdf

"The Effect inside the Los Angeles House and Ball Communities of Support and Access to Social Networks", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 3, page no. pp639-642, March-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIREO06146.pdf