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. 2017 Jul;19(7):723-737.
doi: 10.1080/13691058.2016.1258492. Epub 2016 Nov 25.

Coping with discrimination among HIV-positive Black men who have sex with men

Laura M Bogart  1   2   3 , Sannisha K Dale  4   5 , Jana Christian  2 , Kinjal Patel  2 , Gary K Daffin  6 , Kenneth H Mayer  7   8   9 , David W Pantalone  7   10
Affiliations

Coping with discrimination among HIV-positive Black men who have sex with men

Laura M Bogart et al. Cult Health Sex. 2017 Jul.

Abstract

In the USA, HIV-positive Black men who have sex with men show large disparities in disease outcomes compared to other racial/ethnic and risk groups. This study examined the strategies that HIV-positive Black men who have sex with men use to cope with different types of discrimination. A total of 27 HIV-positive Black men who have sex with men participated in semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed verbatim and coded using thematic analysis by multiple raters. Major coping themes included reactive avoidance (using behaviours, cognitions and emotions to escape from discrimination), a common reaction to racism; proactive avoidance (avoiding situations in which discrimination is anticipated), manifested as selective disclosure of HIV-serostatus; external attribution for discrimination (versus self-blame), used more for sexual orientation and HIV discrimination; and social support-seeking, which most often emerged in response to racism. Active coping strategies, such as self-advocacy (countering discrimination directly or indirectly), were infrequently reported. Findings suggest a need for structural anti-discrimination interventions, in tandem with culturally congruent individual- or group-level interventions that aim to enhance men's existing adaptive coping strategies.

Keywords: African American; Black; HIV; discrimination; intersectionality; men who have sex with men, USA.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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