Mark Brennan‐ing
Biographic Data
| ID | 4792929 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Mark Brennan‐ing |
| GIVEN NAMES | Mark |
| FAMILY NAME | Brennan‐ing |
| SIGNATURE | ING M B |
| AFFILIATIONS | Community Research Initiative |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9071-6659 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 43 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 70 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 43 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1995 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Identifying factors related to longitudinal viral load patterns among people living with HIV
Durable HIV viral suppression is the primary goal of initiatives aimed at ending the HIV epidemic. This study (1) identified viral suppression patterns over a four-year period, and (2) determined the association of viral suppression patterns with demographic characteristics. This study was a retrospective observational analysis of insurance claims data of 2,677 members of a New York City managed care plan who were living with HIV (PLWH). Using cl…
A Case-Control Study of Virologic Failure Among People Living with HIV Enrolled in a NYC-Based Medicaid Special Needs Plan
Engagement in HIV care is essential for viral suppression, and care coordination programs have shown improved retention and adherence. In New York Medicaid HIV Special Needs Plans (SNP), health-homes provide enhanced care coordination for people with HIV (PWH) at risk of non-adherence; however, evidence of their impact on virologic outcomes is limited. Using a matched case-control design and 2016-2018 data from a New York City Medicaid HIV SNP, t…
Does Resilience Mediate the Relationship Between Negative Self-Image and Psychological Distress in Middle-Aged and Older Gay and Bisexual Men
Aging gay and bisexual men may have negative self-image s due to body image dissatisfaction and internalized ageism, resulting in psychological distress. Gay and bisexual men with HIV may be at greater risk for distress because of research linking HIV to accelerated aging. We examined associations between self-image and psychological distress, and potential mediating effects ( resilience, fitness engagement ) , and whether these relationships wer…
Patterns of Social Engagement and Associations with Depression, Loneliness and Stigma in People Living with HIV
Perspectives on weight change and antiretroviral therapy from people living with HIV in New York City
Some people living with HIV experience weight gain or loss after initiating or switching antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens. There is limited research on how perceptions of weight change affect health behaviors in this population. We interviewed 61 people living with HIV (aged 23-65; 51% cisgender men, 36% cisgender women, 13% transgender/nonbinary; 87% Black and/or Hispanic) in New York City about their feelings about weight change. Using an …
Associations of Partnership Types and Quality on Cognitive Performance Among Midlife and Older Sexual Minority Men With or Without HIV
Partnership status among sexual minority men (SMM) is a potentially important yet underexplored predictor of cognitive functioning. Using data from the understanding patterns of healthy aging among men who have sex with men substudy of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, we assessed the associations of partnership status and quality with cognitive performance in middle-aged and older SMM, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical covariates. Par…
Disrupting the Path from Depression to Loneliness
Existing studies examining resilience among sexual minority men (SMM) have been limited by only analyzing 1 level of resilience. We therefore investigated the impact of multiple levels of resilience on the bidirectional relationship between loneliness and depression symptoms among older SMM. Loneliness, depression symptoms, and multilevel resilience scores were collected across 3 time points (October 2016 to March 2017 [T1]; October 2017 to March…
Taking Charge
Older people have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and are often portrayed as passive victims of this global health crisis. However, older adults do take responsibility for their own health and that of others in large part through social network dynamics. The purpose of this study was to understand the processes whereby older adults' social networks shape their own health behaviors, and vice versa, in the context of COVID…
Individual-Level Psychosocial Resiliencies as Mediators of the Relationship Between Internalized Homophobia and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Men Living With and Without HIV
The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Misuse and Smoking Among Aging Men Who Have Sex With Men
There is a particular need for effective smoking cessation interventions for aging MSM with PTSD
Advance Care Planning Among Sexual Minority Men
Objectives: Advance care planning (ACP) specifies decision-making surrogates and preferences for serious illness or end-of-life medical care. ACP research has largely neglected sexual minority men (SMM), a population that experiences disparities in health care and health status. Methods: We examined formal and informal ACP among SMM ages 40+ in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study ( N = 1,071). Results: For informal ACP (50%), younger SMM and men wi…
Pain Is Associated With Depressive Symptoms, Inflammation, and Poorer Physical Function in Older Adults With HIV
OBJECTIVE: People living with HIV (PLWH) frequently experience pain, which often co-occurs with psychological symptoms and may impact functional outcomes. We investigated cross-sectional associations between pain, depressive symptoms, and inflammation, and then explored whether pain was related to poorer physical function among older PLWH. METHODS: We examined data from PLWH aged 54 to 78 years ( n = 162) recruited from a single outpatient progra…
Assessing the Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the HIV-Related Resilience Screener
Recommendations for Advancing Research With Sexual and Gender Minority Older Adults
By 2060, there will be more than 5 million sexual and/or gender minority (SGM) older adults aged 50+ living in the United States (Fredriksen-Goldsen & Kim, 2017). SGM is an umbrella term that includes, but is not limited to, individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, nonbinary (LGBTQ+), or who exhibit attractions and behaviors that do not align with heterosexual or traditional gender norms (Na…
Psychometric assessment of a homophobia management scale among cisgender sexual minority men in midlife and older adulthood
Interpersonal management of homophobic stigma (e.g., selectively constructing one's social network; confronting stigma) is an understudied area of resilience among sexual minority people. Among a sample of cisgender sexual minority men (SMM; N = 798) in midlife and older adulthood, we assessed the psychometric properties and characterized the sociodemographic differences of our newly developed, theory-informed homophobia management scale. Data co…
The relationship between serving as a mentor and depressive symptoms among sexual minority men in the Macs healthy aging study
Sexual minority men (SMM) in the US are twice as likely to experience mental health challenges, including depressive symptoms, compared with their heterosexual counterparts. Having a like-mentor, or a sexual minority mentor, is associated with improved mental well-being among SMM mentees. However, few studies have explored the potential benefits to mentors. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we calculated a perceptions of mentoring score that en…
Biopsychosocial Health Outcomes and Experienced Intersectional Stigma in a Mixed HIV Serostatus Longitudinal Cohort of Aging Sexual Minority Men, United States, 2008‒2019
Objectives. To determine whether intersectional stigma is longitudinally associated with biopsychosocial outcomes. Methods. We measured experienced intersectional stigma (EIS; ≥ 2 identity-related attributions) among sexual minority men (SMM) in the United States participating in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. We assessed longitudinal associations between EIS (2008‒2009) and concurrent and future hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, antiretr…
Aging With HIV
The aging of people with HIV (PWH) is a major public health accomplishment and a social and cultural phenomenon. It highlights the human capacity to overcome adversity, the effectiveness of public health strategies (e.g., prevention and treatment), and the new challenges as well. Our societies are not well prepared to address the needs of older PWH and the changes they are creating. Stigma toward HIV, older age, and homosexuality, along with raci…
The effect of discrimination and resilience on depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older men who have sex with men
This study investigated if homophobic and racist discrimination increased depressive symptoms among 960 middle-aged and older men who have sex with men (MSM) and how resilience moderated these relationships. We used five waves of longitudinal data from the Healthy Aging sub-study of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) . We used linear regression analyses to model depressive symptoms as a function of discrimination. We used linear mixed analy…
Links Between Inflammation, Mood, and Physical Function Among Older Adults With HIV
Novel approaches are needed to manage comorbidities and maximize quality of life among older PLWH. Illustrating key expected biopsychosocial links, our findings highlight several factors (e.g., depressive symptoms, poorer physical function) that may share bidirectional relationships with chronic inflammation, a key factor driving morbidity. These links may be leveraged to modify factors that drive excessive health risk among older PLWH
Psychological Connection to the Gay Community and Negative Self-Appraisals in Middle-Aged and Older Men Who Have Sex With Men
Connection to the gay community may be a source of resilience for aging MSM by lessening negative self-appraisals and promoting strategies that address body image dissatisfaction and self-perceptions of aging. Interventions facilitating connections to the gay community may support healthy aging in this population
HIV Stigma and Older Men’s Psychological Well-Being
HIV stigma's negative relationship with PWB was salient in both groups. Spirituality's buffer between HIV stigma and PWB was stronger in older gay/bisexual MWH compared to their heterosexual counterparts. With respect to HIV stigma, older gay/bisexual MWH exhibited a "crisis competence" in coping with stigma, perhaps through overcoming past homophobia related to their sexual minority status (i.e., homophobia)
Developmental regulation with progressive vision loss
The present study addresses older adults' developmental regulation when faced with progressive and irreversible vision loss. We used the motivational theory of life span development as a conceptual framework and examined changes in older adults' striving for control over everyday goal achievement, and their association with affective well-being, in a sample of 364 older adults diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration. Using longitudinal da…
Sexual Behavior of Older Adults Living with HIV in Uganda
Substance Use and Sexual Risk Differences among Older Bisexual and Gay Men with HIV
Bisexual and gay men are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Research typically combines these groups into the category of men who have sex with men, and little is known about between-group differences. HIV-positive populations are aging and have high rates of substance use compared to non-infected peers, while substance use among older adults has increased and is associated with unprotected intercourse. Among a sample of 239 HIV-positive bi…
Social Care Networks and Older LGBT Adults
Research on service needs among older adults rarely addresses the special circumstances of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, such as their reliance on friend-centered social networks or the experience of discrimination from service providers. Limited data suggests that older LGBT adults underutilize health and social services that are important in maintaining independence and quality of life. This study explored the soci…
Social Networks of Aging Gay Men
Social support becomes an increasingly important resource for people as they age. Research has shown that the needs of older gay men are no different than those of their heterosexual counterparts, nor are older gay men more isolated than older men in general. Research has shown gay men rely on friendship networks more often than on family while heterosexual men rely more on family for social support. Using the most conservative estimates, there a…
Sexual Behavior of Older Adults Living with HIV in Uganda
Error and Temporal Patterns in Tower of Hanoi Performance
Thirty-seven adult subjects were given a 15-move Tower of Hanoi (TOH) disk-transfer problem, for which accuracy, errors, and length of pause prior to a move were recorded. Subjects were also questioned as to whether and why they paused during problem solving. The majority of errors occurred at the 1st, 5th, and 9th moves and may reflect the use of maladaptive heuristics. Optimal performers increased their average pause time significantly more bef…
Psychological Connection to the Gay Community and Negative Self-Appraisals in Middle-Aged and Older Men Who Have Sex With Men
Connection to the gay community may be a source of resilience for aging MSM by lessening negative self-appraisals and promoting strategies that address body image dissatisfaction and self-perceptions of aging. Interventions facilitating connections to the gay community may support healthy aging in this population
HIV Stigma and Older Men’s Psychological Well-Being
HIV stigma's negative relationship with PWB was salient in both groups. Spirituality's buffer between HIV stigma and PWB was stronger in older gay/bisexual MWH compared to their heterosexual counterparts. With respect to HIV stigma, older gay/bisexual MWH exhibited a "crisis competence" in coping with stigma, perhaps through overcoming past homophobia related to their sexual minority status (i.e., homophobia)
Service Utilization Among Older Adults With HIV
This study examines the association of sexual identity and gender among older clients with HIV at an AIDS service organization using the Andersen Model. Data confirm those aging with HIV exhibit high rates of age-associated illnesses 10 to 20 years before expected. They have fragile social networks that cannot supply the informal supports needed. This aging population will need to increasingly access community-based services. Sexual identity and …
Biopsychosocial Health Outcomes and Experienced Intersectional Stigma in a Mixed HIV Serostatus Longitudinal Cohort of Aging Sexual Minority Men, United States, 2008‒2019
Objectives. To determine whether intersectional stigma is longitudinally associated with biopsychosocial outcomes. Methods. We measured experienced intersectional stigma (EIS; ≥ 2 identity-related attributions) among sexual minority men (SMM) in the United States participating in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. We assessed longitudinal associations between EIS (2008‒2009) and concurrent and future hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, antiretr…
Developmental regulation with progressive vision loss
The present study addresses older adults' developmental regulation when faced with progressive and irreversible vision loss. We used the motivational theory of life span development as a conceptual framework and examined changes in older adults' striving for control over everyday goal achievement, and their association with affective well-being, in a sample of 364 older adults diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration. Using longitudinal da…
Tackling Vision-Related Disability in Old Age
This study used the life-span theory of control (Heckhausen, J., & Schulz, R.) to examine adaptation to disability in old age. A narrative approach to data collection was used to assess the strategies employed by 364 older adults with macular degeneration to deal with daily challenges. Findings revealed a rich array of strategies. Compensatory Primary Control was reported by nearly all respondents, Compensatory Secondary Control by a majority, an…
Research
Religiousness and spirituality have been found to be related to positive adjustment but have not been studied in the context of vision loss adaptation in adulthood and are rarely examined together in the same analyses. The present study examined the effects of these personal resources and social support in adapting to vision impairment. Participants (N = 195) were middle-aged and older adults with recent-onset vision loss. The effects of religiou…
Error and Temporal Patterns in Tower of Hanoi Performance
Thirty-seven adult subjects were given a 15-move Tower of Hanoi (TOH) disk-transfer problem, for which accuracy, errors, and length of pause prior to a move were recorded. Subjects were also questioned as to whether and why they paused during problem solving. The majority of errors occurred at the 1st, 5th, and 9th moves and may reflect the use of maladaptive heuristics. Optimal performers increased their average pause time significantly more bef…
Spirituality and Palliative Care
The “Creating Alternative Relaxing Environment (CARE) Cabinet” intervention was designed to complement existing palliative care services and addresses the spiritual and socialization needs of patients and family members in conjunction with pastoral care in an institutional setting. The portable CARE Cabinet contains a variety of materials to foster spiritual wellness (e.g., reading materials, audio [i.e., music and nature sounds], aromatherapy), …
Spiritual Caregiving for Older Adults
Spiritual care has been described as being holistic and cutting across professional disciplines. By taking a transdisciplinary approach, all health and social service providers have the potential for providing spiritual comfort to their patients, clients, and consumers. Spiritual assessment allows the clinician to obtain a deeper knowledge of the individual's strengths, weaknesses and coping style. Implementing a spiritual intervention imbues cli…
Introduction
There is a growing literature documenting the positive effects of religiousness and spirituality. As a result, the assessment of spirituality, and interventions that tap into this personal resource, are becoming increasingly the focus of research and practice in many populations, including older adults. Spiritual assessment may include a variety of modalities that obtain information about a person's spiritual well-being, history, crises or dilemm…
Social Networks of Aging Gay Men
Social support becomes an increasingly important resource for people as they age. Research has shown that the needs of older gay men are no different than those of their heterosexual counterparts, nor are older gay men more isolated than older men in general. Research has shown gay men rely on friendship networks more often than on family while heterosexual men rely more on family for social support. Using the most conservative estimates, there a…
Research
Religiousness and spirituality have been found to be related to positive adjustment but have not been studied in the context of vision loss adaptation in adulthood and are rarely examined together in the same analyses. The present study examined the effects of these personal resources and social support in adapting to vision impairment. Participants (N = 195) were middle-aged and older adults with recent-onset vision loss. The effects of religiou…
Spirituality, Religiousness, and the Achievement of Vision Rehabilitation Goals Among Middle-Age and Older Adults
Introduction: Visual impairment is a prevalent condition that often must be addressed through rehabilitation. However, the effects of spirituality on vision rehabilitation goal success have received scant attention in the literature. Method: Cross-sectional analyses examined the relationship of spirituality and religiousness to vision rehabilitation goals among 195 adults ranging in age from 45 to 99 years, while controlling for social support re…
Introduction to JRSA Special Section
Tackling Vision-Related Disability in Old Age
This study used the life-span theory of control (Heckhausen, J., & Schulz, R.) to examine adaptation to disability in old age. A narrative approach to data collection was used to assess the strategies employed by 364 older adults with macular degeneration to deal with daily challenges. Findings revealed a rich array of strategies. Compensatory Primary Control was reported by nearly all respondents, Compensatory Secondary Control by a majority, an…
Religious Congregations and the Growing Needs of Older Adults with HIV
By 2015, half of those with HIV will be over age 50. This group has a high level of needs, lacks social supports, and will need to access community services such as those provided by religious congregations. We examined whether disclosure to a congregation would pose a barrier to accessing congregational services among adults 50 and older with HIV (n = 819). Fifty-three percent had disclosed, but those who did not disclose generally remained enga…
Loneliness and HIV-related stigma explain depression among older HIV-positive adults
Advances in the treatment of HIV have resulted in a large growing population of older adults with HIV. These aging adults face added social, psychological, and physical challenges associated with the aging process. Correlations between depression, loneliness, health, and HIV/AIDS-related stigma have been studied, but there is little evaluation of these associations among HIV-positive adults over the age of 50. Data for these analyses were taken f…
HIV and Aging
HIV risk behaviors, susceptibility to HIV acquisition, progression of disease after infection, and response to antiretroviral therapy all vary by age. In those living with HIV, current effective treatment has increased the median life expectancy to >70 years of age. Biologic, medical, individual, social, and societal issues change as one ages with HIV infection, but there has been only a small amount of research in this field. Therefore, the Offi…
Older Women Caring for Older Women
As our population ages, the need for personal assistance services increases. Paid personal care is predominantly provided by women, often older women, and has been considered low-status, low-wage work. This article reports on a mixed-method, longitudinal study of 261 home care aides; study participants were 46 years old, on average. Predictors of termination included younger age and lack of health insurance. Study participants reported more rewar…
Change in Psychological Control in Visually Impaired Older Adults Over 2 Years
IADL plays an important role triggering a shift in adaptational strategies from selective control to CPC in visually impaired older adults and possibly other disabled populations
“I'm Created in God's Image, and God Don't Create Junk”
There is an emerging literature on the integration of sexual and religious identities among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) adults. However, this work has not assessed the experiences of GLBT adults 50 and older, whose life course issues and social care needs are different than younger members of this population. Using qualitative methods, we explored the religious engagement of 210 older GLBT adults, and examined the support recei…
A Word From the Guest Editor
It has been more than two years since Dr. Ellor, Editor of the Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging, and I first discussed a special issue of the journal focusing on older lesbian, gay, bisexu
Substance Use and Sexual Risk Differences among Older Bisexual and Gay Men with HIV
Bisexual and gay men are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. Research typically combines these groups into the category of men who have sex with men, and little is known about between-group differences. HIV-positive populations are aging and have high rates of substance use compared to non-infected peers, while substance use among older adults has increased and is associated with unprotected intercourse. Among a sample of 239 HIV-positive bi…
Social Care Networks and Older LGBT Adults
Research on service needs among older adults rarely addresses the special circumstances of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, such as their reliance on friend-centered social networks or the experience of discrimination from service providers. Limited data suggests that older LGBT adults underutilize health and social services that are important in maintaining independence and quality of life. This study explored the soci…
Service Utilization Among Older Adults With HIV
This study examines the association of sexual identity and gender among older clients with HIV at an AIDS service organization using the Andersen Model. Data confirm those aging with HIV exhibit high rates of age-associated illnesses 10 to 20 years before expected. They have fragile social networks that cannot supply the informal supports needed. This aging population will need to increasingly access community-based services. Sexual identity and …
Developmental regulation with progressive vision loss
The present study addresses older adults' developmental regulation when faced with progressive and irreversible vision loss. We used the motivational theory of life span development as a conceptual framework and examined changes in older adults' striving for control over everyday goal achievement, and their association with affective well-being, in a sample of 364 older adults diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration. Using longitudinal da…
Sexual Behavior of Older Adults Living with HIV in Uganda
HIV Stigma and Older Men’s Psychological Well-Being
HIV stigma's negative relationship with PWB was salient in both groups. Spirituality's buffer between HIV stigma and PWB was stronger in older gay/bisexual MWH compared to their heterosexual counterparts. With respect to HIV stigma, older gay/bisexual MWH exhibited a "crisis competence" in coping with stigma, perhaps through overcoming past homophobia related to their sexual minority status (i.e., homophobia)
Aging With HIV
The aging of people with HIV (PWH) is a major public health accomplishment and a social and cultural phenomenon. It highlights the human capacity to overcome adversity, the effectiveness of public health strategies (e.g., prevention and treatment), and the new challenges as well. Our societies are not well prepared to address the needs of older PWH and the changes they are creating. Stigma toward HIV, older age, and homosexuality, along with raci…
The effect of discrimination and resilience on depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older men who have sex with men
This study investigated if homophobic and racist discrimination increased depressive symptoms among 960 middle-aged and older men who have sex with men (MSM) and how resilience moderated these relationships. We used five waves of longitudinal data from the Healthy Aging sub-study of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) . We used linear regression analyses to model depressive symptoms as a function of discrimination. We used linear mixed analy…
Links Between Inflammation, Mood, and Physical Function Among Older Adults With HIV
Novel approaches are needed to manage comorbidities and maximize quality of life among older PLWH. Illustrating key expected biopsychosocial links, our findings highlight several factors (e.g., depressive symptoms, poorer physical function) that may share bidirectional relationships with chronic inflammation, a key factor driving morbidity. These links may be leveraged to modify factors that drive excessive health risk among older PLWH
Psychology (36 works) · Medicine (33 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (23 works) · Gerontology (22 works) · Psychiatry (17 works) · Social Psychology (17 works) · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy (15 works) · Clinical Psychology (14 works) · Clinical Psychology (13 works) · Population (12 works)