Proximal and distal minority stressors and mental health among young gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Kisumu, Kenya.
Gary W Harper, Chenglin Hong, Juan C Jauregui, Elijah Ochieng Odhiambo, Laura Jadwin-Cakmak, Kennedy Olango, K Rivet Amico, Heather M Tucker, Myla Lyons, Wilson Odero, Susan M Graham
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Young gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Kenya experience pervasive intersectional stigma and discrimination, contributing to elevated levels of negative mental health symptoms. Grounded in the Minority Stress Model, this paper explores associations of proximal and distal minority stressors with three types of negative mental health outcomes among young HIV-negative GBMSM (n = 63) between the ages of 19-34 who participated in a pilot trial of a sexual health intervention. Using the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PC-PTSD-5 screening measures, levels of clinically significant symptoms were reported as follows: 15.8% depressive symptoms, 12.7% anxiety symptoms, 31.7% posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results from stepwise linear regression analyses suggest that GBMSM-related stigma (distal stressor) was the strongest correlate for all three mental health outcomes, and concealment motivation (proximal stressor) was an additional significant correlate only in the depressive symptoms model. These findings should be viewed with caution and seen as initial observations given the small sample which limits our interpretations of the findings. Structural-level interventions are needed to decrease GBMSM's exposure to intersectional stigma and discrimination, such as decriminalization of same-sex sexual activity, as well as individual and group-level interventions that assist GBMSM with improving their adaptive coping strategies.
期刊介绍:
The American Journal of Community Psychology publishes original quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research; theoretical papers; empirical reviews; reports of innovative community programs or policies; and first person accounts of stakeholders involved in research, programs, or policy. The journal encourages submissions of innovative multi-level research and interventions, and encourages international submissions. The journal also encourages the submission of manuscripts concerned with underrepresented populations and issues of human diversity. The American Journal of Community Psychology publishes research, theory, and descriptions of innovative interventions on a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to: individual, family, peer, and community mental health, physical health, and substance use; risk and protective factors for health and well being; educational, legal, and work environment processes, policies, and opportunities; social ecological approaches, including the interplay of individual family, peer, institutional, neighborhood, and community processes; social welfare, social justice, and human rights; social problems and social change; program, system, and policy evaluations; and, understanding people within their social, cultural, economic, geographic, and historical contexts.