AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #278 - Experiences of racism, homophobia, and mental health among U.S. racial/ethnic minority men who have sex with men (MSM) at high risk for HIV
Authors: Presenting Author: Prof Kyung-Hee Choi - University of California, San Francisco
Additional Authors: Dr. Jay Paul, Dr. George Ayala, Dr. Ross Boylan, Dr. Steven Gregorich,
Aim: Experiences of social discrimination have been shown to be associated with poor physical and mental health. However, few studies have examined the associations between specific types and sources of discrimination and mental health among U.S. MSM of color who are at high risk for HIV and how these associations vary by race/ethnicity.
Method / Issue: We recruited a chain-referral sample of 403 African American, 393 Asian and Pacific Islander (API), and 400 Latino MSM (aged 18+) in Los Angeles County, CA from May 2008 to October 2009. Participants completed a computer-based survey that asked about past-week anxiety and depression, past-year experiences of racism and homophobia within the general community, perceived racism within the gay community, and perceived homophobia among heterosexual friends and within the family. We conducted multivariate regression analyses to examine associations of racism and homophobia with depression and anxiety, after controlling for age, nativity, marital status, sexual orientation, education, financial difficulty, HIV serostatus, and lifetime history of incarceration.
Results / Comments: Among African Americans, anxiety was positively associated with past-year experiences of homophobia within the general community (b=0.13, p < 0.01), but none of the five discrimination measures had a statistically significant association with depression. Among APIs, anxiety was positively associated with past-year experiences of racism within both the general and gay communities (b=0.10, p < 0.05 and b=0.19, p < 0.01, respectively) as well as perceived homophobia among heterosexual friends (b=0.13, p < 0.01); depression was positively associated with past-year experiences of racism within the general community and perceived homophobia among heterosexual friends (b=0.14, p < 0.01and b=0.15, p < 0.001, respectively). Among Latinos, both anxiety and depression were positively associated with homophobia among heterosexual friends (b=0.09, p < 0.05 and b=0.11, p < 0.05, respectively).
Discussion: Higher levels of experiences of discrimination were associated with psychological distress in all three ethnic minority groups of MSM. However, the links between specific types and sources of discrimination and mental health differed by race/ethnicity. Results suggest that homophobia within the general community is likely to adversely impact African American MSM, whereas racism within the general and gay communities is likely to adversely affect the psychological well-being of API MSM. Homophobia specifically among heterosexual friends is likely to adversely impact both API and Latino men. These results underscore the need for ethnic-specific interventions which address those types of discrimination differentially linked to negative mental health outcomes among African American, API, and Latino MSM.
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