The Importance of Social Support, Positive Identity, and Resilience in the Successful Aging of Older Sexual Minority Men

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between social support, positive identity, and resilience and the successful aging of older sexual minority men. The study involved having 210 self-identified gay and bisexual men aged between 50 and 80 years complete a cross-sectional online survey comprised of sociodemographic information; the Portuguese version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support; the Lesbian, Gay, and multifactor Bisexual Positive Identity Measure; the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale 10; and the Successful Aging Perceptions Scale. The results showed that self-identified gay participants showed higher levels of positive identity, while bisexual participants scored higher for resilience, mental health, and successful aging. Higher levels of social support, resilience, and positive identity were significant predictors of mental health (28%), physical health (18%), and successful aging (10%) in our sample. These results offer similarities with the growing body of literature on the positive factors of successful aging in the gay and bisexual men communities, which is an important step in the development of aging and health preventive initiatives among this population.

Download Full-text

Economic Insecurity among Gay and Bisexual Men: Evidence from the 1991–2016 U.S. General Social Survey

Sociological Perspectives ◽

10.1177/0731121419849100 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 63 (1) ◽

pp. 50-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Lei Chai ◽

Michelle Maroto

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

General Social Survey ◽

Gay And Bisexual Men ◽

Bisexual Men ◽

Economic Insecurity ◽

Social Survey ◽

Sexual Minority Men ◽

Minority Men ◽

And Bisexual

Although a sizeable body of research has examined the labor market outcomes for sexual minority men, suggesting that gay and bisexual men earn less than their heterosexual counterparts, fewer studies have addressed whether any apparent earnings disadvantages for sexual minority men extend to economic insecurity more broadly. Using 1991–2016 U.S. General Social Survey (GSS) data, we examine three measures of economic insecurity—household income, perceived financial satisfaction, and views about family income—among gay and bisexual men. We find that most sexual minority men experience multiple types of economic insecurity with larger disparities present for bisexual men. Consistent with the labor market literature, we observe that family structure and human capital acquisition primarily accounted for economic insecurity disparities for gay men, and family structure partially explained disparities for bisexual men.

Download Full-text

Sexual Behavior Change Among Gay and Bisexual Men During the First COVID-19 Pandemic Wave in the United States

Sexuality Research and Social Policy ◽

10.1007/s13178-021-00625-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Tara McKay ◽

Jeff Henne ◽

Gilbert Gonzales ◽

Kyle A. Gavulic ◽

Rebecca Quarles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexual Behavior ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

Sexual Partner ◽

Gay And Bisexual Men ◽

Sexual Partners ◽

Bisexual Men ◽

Sexual Minority Men ◽

Minority Men ◽

And Bisexual ◽

At Home

Abstract Background After decades of navigating HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, gay and bisexual men are responding to new and uncertain risks presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by adapting their sexual behavior. Methods This paper uses data from a national sample of 728 gay and bisexual men collected from April 10 to May 10, 2020, to examine changes to sexual behavior in response to the first wave of the pandemic in the USA. We also assess whether behavior modifications are associated with exposure to statewide public health measures, including Stay-at-Home orders. Results Sexual minority men report significant changes to their sexual behavior and partner selection during the first wave. Nine out of 10 men reported having either one sexual partner or no sexual partner in the last 30 days at the time of interview, a decrease compared to just before the pandemic for nearly half of men surveyed. Reporting no sexual partners in the last 30 days was significantly predicted by increased exposure to a Stay-at-Home order. Sexual minority men also reduced interactions with casual partners, increased no-contact sexual behaviors (e.g., masturbation and virtual sex), and engaged in new strategies to reduce their risks of infection from partners. HIV-positive men were particularly likely to adopt strategies including avoiding casual partners and avoiding public transportation to meet sexual partners. Conclusion Sexual minority men’s behavior changes during the first wave may have reduced the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their communities. Despite substantial changes in sexual behavior for most men in our sample during the initial first wave, we identify some concerns around the sustainability of certain behavioral changes over time and nondisclosure of COVID-19 symptoms to partners.

Download Full-text

Predictors of sexual minority men’s sexual objectification of other men

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407519832669 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (11-12) ◽

pp. 3631-3650 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dawn M. Szymanski ◽

Renee Mikorski ◽

Trevor L. Dunn

Keyword(s):

Role Conflict ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

Gay And Bisexual Men ◽

Sexual Objectification ◽

Bisexual Men ◽

Sexual Minority Men ◽

Pornography Use ◽

Younger Men ◽

Minority Men ◽

And Bisexual

Given the link between sexual objectification experiences and negative psychological and mental health outcomes for sexual minority men, it is important to explore which men are more likely to enact sexually objectifying behavior. We examined predictors of sexual minority men’s sexual objectification of other men (e.g., engaging in body evaluations, making unwanted sexual advances), including focusing on appearance, involvement in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, pornography use, and men’s gender role conflict among 450 gay and bisexual men. Our findings revealed that importance placed on appearance, involvement in the LGBTQ community, and pornography use and less restrictive affectionate behavior between men were uniquely related to sexually objectifying other men. In addition, older men were more likely than younger men to sexually objectify other men, and gay men were more likely than bisexual men to sexually objectify other men.

Download Full-text

The Disparities in Mental Health Between Gay and Bisexual Men Following Positive HIV Diagnosis in China: A One-Year Follow-Up Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17103414 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (10) ◽

pp. 3414

Author(s):

Rui Luo ◽

Vincent M.B. Silenzio ◽

Yunxiang Huang ◽

Xi Chen ◽

Dan Luo

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Gay And Bisexual Men ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Bisexual Men ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

And Bisexual ◽

One Year

This study aimed to determine the change in mental health (depression and anxiety) among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men (GBM) one year after diagnosis and the disparities in trajectories of mental health between them. The potential factors contributing to the disparities were also investigated. This was a one-year follow-up study focusing on the mental health of newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals. Participants rated their depression, anxiety, stress, and social support levels at baseline and one year later. Information on the utilization of mental healthcare and the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) after diagnosis was collected at one-year follow-up. A total of 171 and 87 HIV-positive gay and bisexual men, respectively, completed two-time points surveys in this study. The depressive and anxiety symptoms experienced by HIV-positive GBM improvement one year after diagnosis. These improvements tended to be smaller in gay participants. Other factors including mental health care utilization and ART status during the one-year follow-up period, changes in social stress scores and objective social support scores were also associated with the changes in depression and anxiety, and all these factors, except for change in objective support, were found to be statistically different between HIV-positive GBM. Special attention should be given to the mental health of HIV-positive gay men. Promoting HIV-positive gay men to assess to mental health services and ART may be important for these populations to improve mental health. Enhancing social support and reducing stress levels may also be necessary for the vulnerable HIV-positive sexual minority groups.

Download Full-text

Family Support and Sociocultural Factors on Depression among Black and Latinx Sexual Minority Men

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18136759 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (13) ◽

pp. 6759

Author(s):

Donte T. Boyd ◽

S. Raquel Ramos ◽

Camille R. Quinn ◽

Kristian V. Jones ◽

Leo Wilton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

Internalized Homophobia ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Sociocultural Factors ◽

Sexual Minority Men ◽

Family Social Support ◽

Minority Men

Family-based approaches are critical for improving health outcomes in sexual minority men (SMM) of color. Yet, it is unclear how family context, internalized homophobia, and stress influence mental health outcomes among sexual minority men of color. From a cross-sectional sample of 448 participants, aged 16–24 years, survey data were analyzed to examine rates of family social support, the perception of sexuality by family, the stressfulness of life events, internalized homophobia, and other contextual variables on depression using linear regression. Our results indicated that an 86% increase in family social support was related to a −0.14 decrease in depression (ß = −0.14, p = 0.004). In addition, SMM who were separated by family and friends because of their sexuality were statistically significant and positively associated with depression (ß = 0.09, p < 0.001). Findings from our study suggest that the influence from the microsystem is salient in modifying mental health outcomes for SMM of color.

Download Full-text

Mediating Effects of Social Support and Internalized Homonegativity on the Association Between Population Density and Mental Health Among Gay and Bisexual Men

LGBT Health ◽

10.1089/lgbt.2017.0002 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 352-359 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Demetria N. Cain ◽

Chloe Mirzayi ◽

H. Jonathon Rendina ◽

Ana Ventuneac ◽

Christian Grov ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Support ◽

Population Density ◽

Gay And Bisexual Men ◽

Internalized Homonegativity ◽

Bisexual Men ◽

Mediating Effects ◽

And Bisexual

Download Full-text

Sexual Health Determinants of Normal Weight, Overweight, and Obese Sexual Minority Men

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2021/1272316 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Henrique Pereira

Keyword(s):

Sexual Health ◽

Sexual Minority ◽

Sexual Functioning ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Health Determinants ◽

Bisexual Men ◽

Sexual Minority Men ◽

Minority Men ◽

And Bisexual

Background. With the growing recognition of overweight and obesity as significant, international public health concerns, the body of research investigating the relationship between body mass index (BMI), sexual health, and sexual functioning in sexual minority men is still scarce. Objective. The purpose of this study is to assess sexual health determinants (sexual behavior and sexual functioning) in relation to normal weight, overweight, and obesity among gay and bisexual men. Methods and Materials. The survey included four categories of questions/measurements, encompassing sociodemographic information, protected/unprotected sexual behaviors, sexual functioning, and BMI. The survey was conducted online, and recruitment consisted of online notifications (emails and electronic messages) and advertisements sent to LGBT community organizations, mailing lists, and social networks. Results. The study sample was composed of 741 gay and bisexual men, ranging in age from 21 to 75 years (Mage = 43.30, SDage = 11.37); 62.5% of men self-identified as gay and 37.5% as bisexual. Prevalence of normal weight was 50.3%, of overweight, 33.3%, and of obesity, 16.4%. Participants with overweight and obesity showed a lower frequency of anal receptive sex without condoms when scompared to participants with normal weight. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis to assess the effects of BMI on sexual health showed that being younger in age, self-identifying as gay, being in a relationship, having longer penises, adopting insertive position in sex, and being normal weight were significant predictors of anal receptive sex without condoms, explaining 24.2% of the total variance. Yet, BMI was not predictive of sexual functioning. Conclusion. These findings highlight the importance of including BMI in sexual behavior models of sexual minority men to better understand BMI’s role in influencing sexual risk.

Download Full-text