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

Bibliographic Data

ID11054704
AuthorsG W Harper (0000-0003-1011-1751, Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity University of Michigan School of Public Health Ann Arbor Michigan USA, corresponding author), Chenglin Hong (0000-0002-9652-388X, School of Social Work University of Connecticut Hartford Connecticut USA), Juan C Jauregui (0000-0001-6524-7301, Department of Social Welfare UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs Los Angeles California USA), Elijah Ochieng Odhiambo (Salina Youth Initiative Kisumu, Kisumu County Kenya), Laura Jadwin-Cakmak (0000-0001-5744-9632, University of Michigan), Laura Jadwin‐Cakmak (Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity University of Michigan School of Public Health Ann Arbor Michigan USA), Kennedy Olango (Men Against AIDS Youth Group (MAAYGO) Kisumu, Kisumu County Kenya), K Rivet Amico (0000-0002-4458-6934, Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity University of Michigan School of Public Health Ann Arbor Michigan USA), Heather M Tucker (0000-0003-2565-1996, Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity University of Michigan School of Public Health Ann Arbor Michigan USA), Myla Lyons (0000-0003-3371-1194, Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity University of Michigan School of Public Health Ann Arbor Michigan USA), Wilson Odero (0000-0002-1120-9243, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Maseno University School of Medicine Kisumu, Kisumu County Kenya), Susan M Graham (0000-0001-7847-8686, Departments of Global Health, Medicine, and Epidemiology University of Washington Seattle Washington USA)
Year2024
Volume74
Issue3-4
Pages249-261
Publication date2024-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Community Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0091-0562 • E-ISSN: 1573-2770
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajcp.12767
PMID39497273
OpenAlexW4404086709
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited51

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

Anxiety · Health psychology · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) · Men who have sex with men · Mental health · Minority stress · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Public health · Sexual minority · Sexual orientation · Stressor · Syphilis · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Clinical Psychology · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology