Burden and Correlates of Mental Health Symptoms Among Young Black Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Engaged in HIV Care in Atlanta

• Published in: AIDS and behavior 2022-09, Vol.26 (9), p.2844-2854
• Main Authors: Hussen, Sophia A., Doraivelu, Kamini, Camp, Daniel M., Moore, Shamia J., Kalokhe, Ameeta S., Wade, Ryan, Leong, Traci, Ali, Mohammed K., Farber, Eugene W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Bisexuality; Comorbidity; Correlation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Drug use; Employment; Gays & lesbians; Health Psychology; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - psychology; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infectious Diseases; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Men; Men who have sex with men; Mens health; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Mental health services; Morbidity; Original Paper; Public Health; Regression analysis; Regression models; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Stigma; Substance abuse; Substance use; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Symptoms; Trauma; Unemployment; Well being
• ISSN: 1090-7165; 1573-3254
• DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03629-1

Mental health comorbidities are prevalent among young Black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YB-GBMSM) living with HIV and can adversely impact HIV-related outcomes. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study with 100 YB-GBMSM recruited from two HIV care centers in Atlanta, and constructed multivariable logistic and linear regression models to examine correlates of depression, anxiety, trauma symptoms, and general well-being. In adjusted models, full-time employment was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, while HIV stigma and substance use were associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. Younger age and full-time employment were negatively associated with severe anxiety, while HIV stigma was positively associated with severe anxiety and trauma symptoms. Trust in physicians, lower HIV stigma, full-time employment, and lack of substance use were associated with higher average general well-being scores. In conclusion, we found high frequency of depressive, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms among this sample of YB-GBMSM living with HIV. Unemployment, substance use, and HIV stigma emerged as particularly salient correlates of psychological morbidity, suggesting a need for structural and community-level interventions to address mental health in this population.