Sexual abuse and HIV-risk behaviour among black and minority ethnic men who have sex with men in the UK. Issue 8 (14th September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jaspal, Rusi; Lopes, Barbara; Jamal, Zahra; Paccoud, Ivana; Sekhon, Parminder
• Is Part Of: Mental health, religion & culture. Volume 20:Issue 8(2017)
• Page Start: 841
• Page End: 853
• Publication Date: 2017-09-14
• Subjects: Sexual abuse -- psychological adversity -- HIV -- maladaptive coping -- drug use; Mental health -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Religion and culture -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Mentally ill -- Pastoral counseling of -- Periodicals; 306.461
• DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2017.1414170
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-4676

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Black and minority ethnic (BME) men who have sex with men (MSM) face a major burden in relation to HIV infection. It was hypothesised that sexual abuse would predict sexual risk-taking, and that this relationship would be mediated by victimisation and maladaptive coping variables. Four hundred and thirty-two BME MSM completed the survey; 54% reported no sexual abuse and 27% reported sexual abuse. Mann–Whitney tests showed that MSM with a history of sexual abuse reported higher frequency of drug use, and of homophobia and racism than those reporting no prior sexual abuse. A structural equation model showed that the experience of sexual abuse was positively associated with sexual risk-taking and that this relationship was mediated by victimisation variables: frequency of racism and frequency of homophobia and by the maladaptive coping variable: frequency of drug use. The findings can inform the design of psycho-sexual and behavioural interventions for BME MSM.