A Description of Common Mental Disorders in Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) Referred for Assessment and Intervention at an MSM Clinic in Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract Background Common mental disorders (CMDs) such as depression and anxiety are highly prevalent during the perinatal period, and are associated with poverty, food insecurity and domestic violence. We used data collected from perinatal women at two time-points during the COVID-19 pandemic to test the hypotheses that (1) socio-economic adversities at baseline would be associated with higher CMD prevalence at follow-up and (2) worse mental health at baseline would be associated with higher food insecurity prevalence at follow-up. Methods Telephonic interviews were conducted with perinatal women attending healthcare facilities in Cape Town, South Africa. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to model the associations of baseline risk factors with the prevalence of household food insecurity and CMD at 3 months follow-up. Results At baseline 859 women were recruited, of whom 217 (25%) were pregnant, 106 (12%) had probable CMD, and 375 (44%) were severely food insecure. At follow-up (n=634), 22 (4%) were still pregnant, 44 (7%) had probable CMD, and 207 (33%) were severely food insecure. In the multivariable regression model, after controlling for confounders, the odds of being food insecure at follow-up were greater in women who were unemployed [OR=2.05 (1.46-2.87); p<0.001] or had probable CMD [OR=2.37 (1.35-4.18); p=0.003] at baseline; and the odds of probable CMD at follow-up were greater in women with psychological distress [OR=2.81 (1.47-5.39); p=0.002] and abuse [OR=2.47 (1.47-4.39); p=0.007] at baseline. Conclusions This study highlights the complex bidirectional relationship between mental health and socioeconomic adversity among perinatal women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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P3.72 The prevalence of anal high-risk human papillomavirus infections and associated risk factors in men-who-have-sex-with-men in cape town, south africa

10.1136/sextrans-2017-053264.307 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

EE Müller ◽

K Rebe ◽

TF Chirwa ◽

H Struthers ◽

J McIntyre ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

South Africa ◽

Human Papillomavirus ◽

High Risk ◽

Cape Town ◽

Papillomavirus Infections ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Associated Risk Factors

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Outcomes of a community-based HIV-prevention pilot programme for township men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa

Journal of the International AIDS Society ◽

10.7448/ias.16.4.18754 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 18754 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Elizabeth Batist ◽

Benjamin Brown ◽

Andrew Scheibe ◽

Stefan D Baral ◽

Linda-Gail Bekker

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Hiv Prevention ◽

Cape Town ◽

Community Based ◽

Pilot Programme ◽

Sex With Men

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Domestic violence, food insecurity and mental health of pregnant women in the COVID-19 lockdown in Cape Town, South Africa

10.21203/rs.3.rs-102205/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Zulfa Abrahams ◽

Sonet Boisits ◽

Marguerite Schneider ◽

Martin Prince ◽

Crick Lund

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Risk Factors ◽

South Africa ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Poisson Regression ◽

Common Mental Disorders ◽

Cape Town ◽

Perinatal Women

Abstract Introduction Common mental disorders (CMD) such as depression and anxiety are associated with low household income, food insecurity and intimate partner violence in perinatal women. The national COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa resulted in increased levels of poverty and food insecurity. We aimed to explore the relationship between CMDs, food insecurity and experiences of violence among pregnant women during the COVID-19 lockdown.Methods Perinatal women, attending 14 healthcare facilities in Cape Town, were enrolled in the study during baseline data collection before the COVID-19 lockdown. During the lockdown period, fieldworkers telephonically contacted the perinatal women who were enrolled in the study and had provided contact details. The following data was collected from those who consented to the study: socio-demographic information, mental health assessment, food insecurity status and experiences of abuse. Poisson regression was used to model the associations of a number of risk factors with the occurrence of CMDs.Results Of the 2149 women enrolled in the ASSET study, 885 consented to the telephonic interviews. We found that 12.5% of women had probable CMDs and 43% were severely food insecure. Psychological distress increased significantly during the lockdown period, compared to before the COVID-19 outbreak. The strength of the association between key risk factors measured during the lockdown and psychological distress increased during the COVID-19 lockdown. Using multivariate Poisson regression modelling, we showed that the risk of CMDs was almost three times more likely in women who were severely food insecure or who experienced psychological or sexual abuse. Conclusions This study provides evidence of the effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the mental health status of perinatal women living in low resource settings in Cape Town, and highlights how a crisis such as the COVID-19 lockdown amplifies the psycho-social risk factors associated with CMDs in perinatal women.

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HIV Risk and Prevention Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Peri-Urban Townships in Cape Town, South Africa

AIDS and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s10461-012-0328-5 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 17 (S1) ◽

pp. 12-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Geoffrey Jobson ◽

Glenn de Swardt ◽

Kevin Rebe ◽

Helen Struthers ◽

James McIntyre

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Cape Town ◽

Sex With Men

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Sexual risk behaviours and HIV-1 prevalence among urban men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa

Sexual Health ◽

10.1071/sh09090 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 149 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Earl Burrell ◽

Daniella Mark ◽

Robert Grant ◽

Robin Wood ◽

Linda-Gail Bekker

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Sexual Risk ◽

Cape Town ◽

Risk Behaviour ◽

Hiv Prevalence ◽

Sexual Risk Behaviour ◽

Risk Behaviours ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sex With Men ◽

Hiv 1

Background: Distinct homosexual and heterosexual HIV epidemics have previously been recognised in South Africa. However, linked HIV prevalence and self-reported sexual risk behaviour data have not been reported for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Cape Town since 1986. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous, venue-based HIV risk behaviour and prevalence study of 542 self-identified MSM in greater Cape Town using a self-administered risk questionnaire and the OraSure® testing device to asses HIV-1 prevalence. Results: This sample had an overall HIV prevalence of 10.4% (56/539). We found that self-identifying as gay, homosexual or queer (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 4.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0–20.0) and reporting ever having had a sexually transmissible infection diagnosis (AOR 4.3, 95% CI: 2.3–8.3) were significantly predictive of testing HIV-1 positive, while reporting unprotected anal intercourse with a known HIV-negative partner (AOR 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2–0.9) was significantly protective. Conclusion: These data suggest a mature epidemic with consistent high-risk taking among MSM in Cape Town, and significant associations of select self-reported risk behaviours and HIV-1 serostatus. There is a need for continued and robust HIV surveillance along with detailed risk behaviour trends over time to inform the development of targeted risk-reduction interventions for this population.

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