Anticipated HIV stigma among HIV negative men who have sex with men in China: a cross-sectional study

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2020-01, Vol.20 (1), p.44-44, Article 44
• Main Authors: Liu, Chuncheng, Zhang, Ye, Pan, Stephen W, Cao, Bolin, Ong, Jason J, Fu, Hongyun, Wu, Dan, Fu, Rong, Wei, Chongyi, Tucker, Joseph D, Tang, Weiming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age; Anticipated HIV stigma; Cell Phone; Cellular telephones; China; Confidence intervals; Consent; Correlation analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cybersex; Demographics; Demography; Digital media; Disclosure; Disclosure of information; Education; Generalized linear models; Health Personnel; High schools; HIV; HIV - immunology; HIV carriers discrimination; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV patients; HIV positive; HIV self-testing; HIV Seronegativity; HIV tests; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Male; Male identity; Marital status; Medical care utilization; Medical tests; Men who have sex with men; Mobile Applications; MSM (Men who have sex with men); New technology; Online sex-seeking, disclosure; Prejudice; Questionnaires; Self Report; Self testing; Seroconversion; Serologic Tests; Sex; Sexual and Gender Minorities - psychology; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual health; Sexual identity; Sexual orientation; Sexual Partners; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social Media; Social networks; Social research; Social Stigma; Sociodemographics; Statistical models; STD; Stigma; Stigma (Social psychology); Studies; Surveys; Technology; Wireless telephones; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-4778-5

Anticipated HIV stigma, i.e., the expectation of adverse experiences from one's seroconversion, is associated with both negative psychological and behavioral outcomes. We know little about anticipated HIV stigma's relationship with emerging technologies, such as HIV self-testing (HIVST) and online sex-seeking platforms, that have become popular among populations that are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. This study examined correlates of anticipated HIV stigma among Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM). In July 2016, MSM, who were ≥ 16 years old and self-reported as HIV negative or unknown, were recruited from a gay mobile phone application in China. Information regarding socio-demographics, sexual behaviors, sexual health service utilization, and anticipated HIV stigma were collected. Anticipated HIV stigma (i.e., negative attitude toward future stigmatization of HIV seroconversion by others) was measured as the mean score from a 7-item Likert-scale ranging from 1 (low) to 4 (high). Generalized linear models were conducted to examine the factors associated with the anticipated HIV stigma scores. Overall, 2006 men completed the survey. Most men completed high school (1308/2006, 65.2%) and had an annual personal income of ≤9200 USD (1431/2006, 71.3%). The mean anticipated HIV stigma score for the participants was 2.98 ± 0.64. Using social media to seek sexual partners was associated with higher anticipated HIV stigma (Adjusted β = 0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.05 to 0.17, p = 0.001). HIV self-testing (Adjusted β = - 0.07, 95%CI: - 0.13 to - 0.01, p = 0.02) and having disclosed one's sexual orientation to a healthcare provider (Adjusted β = - 0.16, 95%CI: - 0.22 to - 0.96, p