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. 2016 Feb;20(2):461-72.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-015-1173-0.

Religion and Spirituality's Influences on HIV Syndemics Among MSM: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Model

Jonathan M Lassiter  1 , Jeffrey T Parsons  2   3   4   5
Affiliations

Religion and Spirituality's Influences on HIV Syndemics Among MSM: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Model

Jonathan M Lassiter et al. AIDS Behav. 2016 Feb.

Abstract

This paper presents a systematic review of the quantitative HIV research that assessed the relationships between religion, spirituality, HIV syndemics, and individual HIV syndemics-related health conditions (e.g. depression, substance abuse, HIV risk) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United States. No quantitative studies were found that assessed the relationships between HIV syndemics, religion, and spirituality. Nine studies, with 13 statistical analyses, were found that examined the relationships between individual HIV syndemics-related health conditions, religion, and spirituality. Among the 13 analyses, religion and spirituality were found to have mixed relationships with HIV syndemics-related health conditions (6 nonsignificant associations; 5 negative associations; 2 positive associations). Given the overall lack of inclusion of religion and spirituality in HIV syndemics research, a conceptual model that hypothesizes the potential interactions of religion and spirituality with HIV syndemics-related health conditions is presented. The implications of the model for MSM's health are outlined.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS; Men who have sex with men; Religion; Spirituality; Syndemics.

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Figures

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Article selection process.
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Fig. 2
Conceptual model for the influence of religion and spirituality on HIV syndemics-related health conditions and other health outcomes among MSM. Pathway a illustrates the influence of religion and spirituality at the structural level on MSM’s health. No literature in the systematic review provided evidence for this relationship. Pathway b illustrates the influence of religion and spirituality at the social and physical level on MSM’s health. Two analyses out of 13 from the systematic review provided evidence for this relationship [27, 31]. Pathway c illustrates the influence of religion and spirituality at the individual level on MSM’s health. Five analyses out of 13 from the systematic review provided evidence for this relationship [, –30, 32]
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