Sexual identity stigma and social support among men who have sex with men in Lesotho: A qualitative analysis

Reproductive Health Matters

Volumn 23, Issue 46, 2015, Pages 127-135

  Stahlman, Shauna ^a   Bechtold, Kali ^a   Sweitzer, Stephanie ^a   Mothopeng, Tampose ^b   Taruberekera, Noah ^c   Nkonyana, John ^d   Baral, Stefan ^a  

^a JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH   (United States)

^b Matrix Support Group   (Lesotho)

^c POPULATION SERVICES INTERNATIONAL   (United States)

^d Ministry of Health   (Lesotho)

Author keywords

Lesotho; Male homosexuality; Sexual behavior; Social support; Stigma

Indexed keywords

ADULT; ARTICLE; EMOTIONAL SUPPORT; GENDER IDENTITY; HIGH RISK BEHAVIOR; HIV TEST; HUMAN; INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION; LESOTHO; MALE; MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN; PERSONALITY; PHYSICAL ABUSE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PSYCHOSOCIAL CARE; QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS; SELF CONFIDENCE; SELF SUFFICIENCY; SEXISM; SEXUAL ASSAULT; SOCIAL STATUS; SOCIAL SUPPORT; STIGMA; SUPPORT GROUP; VERBAL HOSTILITY; DEMOGRAPHY; FAMILY RELATION; INTERVIEW; MALE HOMOSEXUALITY; PSYCHOLOGY; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; SEXUAL BEHAVIOR; SOCIAL STIGMA;

FAMILY RELATIONS; GENDER IDENTITY; HOMOSEXUALITY, MALE; HUMANS; INTERVIEWS AS TOPIC; LESOTHO; MALE; QUALITATIVE RESEARCH; RESIDENCE CHARACTERISTICS; SEXUAL BEHAVIOR; SOCIAL STIGMA; SOCIAL SUPPORT;

EID: 84955207409     PISSN: 09688080     EISSN: 14609576     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.rhm.2015.11.017     Document Type: Article

References (35)

1. Beyrer C., Baral S.D., van Griensven F., et al. Global epidemiology of HIV infection in men who have sex with men. Lancet (London, England) 2012, 380(9839):367-377.
2. The Foundation for AIDS Research and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Achieving an AIDS-Free Generation for Gay Men and Other MSM: Financing and implementation of HIV programs targeting MSM 2012.
3. Baral S.D., Grosso A., Holland C., et al. The epidemiology of HIV among men who have sex with men in countries with generalized HIV epidemics. Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS 2014, 9(2):156-167.
4. Sweitzer S., Rolfe J., Ketende S., et al. Characterizing HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care needs Among Men who have Sex with Men and Female Sex Workers in Lesotho: Estimates of HIV Prevalence, Risk Behavior, and Population size 2015, USAID, Maseru.
5. Baral S., Sifakis F., Cleghorn F., et al. Elevated risk for HIV infection among men who have sex with men in low-and middle-income countries 2000-2006: a systematic review. PLoS Medicine 2007, 4(12).
6. Schwartz S.R., Nowak R.G., Orazulike I., et al. The immediate effect of the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act on stigma, discrimination, and engagement on HIV prevention and treatment services in men who have sex with men in Nigeria: analysis of prospective data from the TRUST cohort. The Lancet HIV 2015, 2(7):e299-e306.
7. Tucker A., Liht J., de Swardt G., et al. Homophobic stigma, depression, self-efficacy and unprotected anal intercourse for peri-urban township men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa: a cross-sectional association model. AIDS Care 2014, 26(7):882-889.
8. Risher K., Adams D., Sithole B., et al. Sexual stigma and discrimination as barriers to seeking appropriate healthcare among men who have sex with men in Swaziland. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2013, 16(3 Suppl. 2):18715.
9. Fay H., Baral S.D., Trapence G., et al. Stigma, health care access, and HIV knowledge among men who have sex with men in Malawi, Namibia, and Botswana. AIDS and Behavior 2011, 15(6):1088-1097.
10. Stahlman S., Grosso A., Ketende S., et al. Depression and Social Stigma Among MSM in Lesotho: Implications for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention. AIDS and Behavior 2015, 19(8):1460-1469.
11. Baral S., Holland C.E., Shannon K., et al. Enhancing benefits or increasing harms: community responses for HIV among men who have sex with men, transgender women, female sex workers, and people who inject drugs. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes 2014, 66(Suppl. 3):S319-S328.
12. Baral S.D., Ketende S., Mnisi Z., et al. A cross-sectional assessment of the burden of HIV and associated individual-and structural-level characteristics among men who have sex with men in Swaziland. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2013, 16(Suppl. 3):18768.
13. International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association State Sponsored Homophobia Report 2015 Available from:. http://ilga.org/what-we-do/state-sponsored-homophobia-report/.
14. Lesotho Ministry of Health Global AIDS Response Progress Report 2015 Available from:. http://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/lesotho.
15. Baral S., Adams D., Lebona J., et al. A cross-sectional assessment of population demographics, HIV risks and human rights contexts among men who have sex with men in Lesotho. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2011, 14:36.
16. Trapence G., Collins C., Avrett S., et al. From personal survival to public health: community leadership by men who have sex with men in the response to HIV. Lancet (London, England) 2012, 380(9839):400-410.
17. Woolcock M., Narayan D. Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy. World Bank Research Observer 2000, 15(2):225-249.
18. Batist E., Brown B., Scheibe A., et al. 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 2013, 16(Suppl. 3):18754.
19. Pronyk P.M., Harpham T., Morison L.A., et al. Is social capital associated with HIV risk in rural South Africa?. Social Science & Medicine 2008, 66(9):1999-2010.
20. McDowell T.L., Serovich J.M. The effect of perceived and actual social support on the mental health of HIV-positive persons. AIDS Care 2007, 19(10):1223-1229.
21. Fonner V.A., Kerrigan D., Mnisi Z., et al. Social cohesion, social participation, and HIV related risk among female sex workers in Swaziland. PloS One 2014, 9(1).
22. McAdams-Mahmoud A., Stephenson R., Rentsch C., et al. Minority stress in the lives of men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa. Journal of Homosexuality 2014, 61(6):847-867.
23. Weisz B.M., Quinn D.M., Williams M.K. Out and healthy: Being more "out" about a concealable stigmatized identity may boost the health benefits of social support. Journal of Health Psychology 2015, (E-pub ahead of print, pii: 1359105315589392).
24. Lane T., Mogale T., Struthers H., et al. "They see you as a different thing": the experiences of men who have sex with men with healthcare workers in South African township communities. Sexually Transmitted Infections 2008, 84(6):430-433.
25. King R., Barker J., Nakayiwa S., et al. Men at risk; a qualitative study on HIV risk, gender identity and violence among men who have sex with men who report high risk behavior in Kampala, Uganda. PloS One 2013, 8(12).
26. Kennedy C.E., Baral S.D., Fielding-Miller R., et al. "They are human beings, they are Swazi": intersecting stigmas and the positive health, dignity and prevention needs of HIV-positive men who have sex with men in Swaziland. Journal of the International AIDS Society 2013, 16(Suppl. 3):18749.
27. Crabtree B.F., Miller W.L. Doing Qualitative Research 1999, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. Second ed.
28. Poteat T., Diouf D., Drame F.M., et al. HIV risk among MSM in Senegal: a qualitative rapid assessment of the impact of enforcing laws that criminalize same sex practices. PloS One 2011, 6(12).
29. Finneran C., Chard A., Sineath C., et al. Intimate Partner Violence and Social Pressure among Gay Men in Six Countries. The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine 2012, 13(3):260-271.
30. Balaji A.B., Oster A.M., Viall A.H., et al. Role flexing: how community, religion, and family shape the experiences of young black men who have sex with men. AIDS Patient Care and STDs 2012, 26(12):730-737.
31. Pan American Health Organization Campaigns against Homophobia in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico 2008, (Washington, D.C.).
32. Rispel L.C., Metcalf C.A., Cloete A., et al. You become afraid to tell them that you are gay: health service utilization by men who have sex with men in South African cities. Journal of Public Health Policy 2011, 32(Suppl. 1):S137-S151.
33. Knight D. Health care screening for men who have sex with men. American Family Physician 2004, 69(9):2149-2156.
34. Bengtsson L., Thorson A., Thanh V.P., et al. Sexual relationships among men who have sex with men in Hanoi, Vietnam: a qualitative interview study. BMC Public Health 2013, 13:108.
35. Wong W.C.W., Zhang J., Wu S.C., et al. The HIV related risks among men having sex with men in rural Yunnan, China: a qualitative study. Sexually Transmitted Infections 2006, 82(2):127-130.