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Yan X, Ni Y, Lu Y, Wang Q, Tang W, Tan RKJ, Tucker JD, Hall BJ, Baral S, Song H, Zhou Y, Wu D. Homoprejudiced Violence Experiences and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors among Chinese Men Who Have Sex with Men: Depression Severity and Recreational Drug Usage as Potential Mediators. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 53:1265-1276. [PMID: 38172350 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02775-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Homoprejudiced violence is a type of aggression against an individual or a community based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation. It may be linked to risks of acquiring HIV/STI via psychosocial variables. This study explored the association between homoprejudiced violence experiences and high-risk sexual behaviors, and potential psychosocial mediators. Using cross-sectional survey data collected in China through Blued among men who have sex with men (MSM) in January 2021, this study conducted multiple mediation analyses. Standard instruments were used to collect data on depressive symptoms in the last two weeks (PHQ-9), recreational drug usage in the last three months, and ever experiencing homoprejudiced violence (12-item survey instrument). Dependent variables were having condomless anal sex and having three or more sexual partners in the last three months. Among 1828 MSM, nearly half (847, 46%) had experienced homoprejudiced violence. Twenty-three percent (427) reached a score that suggested moderate or severe depression and 35% (644) had used recreational drugs. In the last three months, 40% (731) had condomless anal sex and 34% (626) had three or more sexual partners. The indirect mediational coefficients through depression on condomless anal sex and multiple sexual partners were 0.04 (95% CI: [0.02, 0.07]) and 0.02 (95% CI: [0.001, 0.05]), respectively. The indirect mediational coefficient of homoprejudiced violence experience on multiple sexual partners through recreational drug use was 0.05 (95% CI: [0.03, 0.08]). These findings suggest that more comprehensive interventions are needed to address the syndemic of homoprejudiced violence, mental health issues, and HIV/STI-related risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xumeng Yan
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health of Nanjing Medical University, No. 101 Longmian Avenue Nanjing, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yuxin Ni
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Health Law Policy and Management, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ying Lu
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qianyun Wang
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Social Welfare, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Weiming Tang
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rayner Kay Jin Tan
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joseph D Tucker
- University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- International Diagnostics Centre, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Brian J Hall
- Center for Global Health Equity, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China
| | - Stefan Baral
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Huan Song
- West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Zhou
- Department of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, Zhuhai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Zhuhai, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Education, School of Public Health of Nanjing Medical University, No. 101 Longmian Avenue Nanjing, Nanjing, 211166, Jiangsu, China.
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