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. 2018 May;47(4):1133-1144.
doi: 10.1007/s10508-017-1009-2. Epub 2017 Jun 12.

Internalized Homophobia and Drug Use in a National Cohort of Gay and Bisexual Men: Examining Depression, Sexual Anxiety, and Gay Community Attachment as Mediating Factors

Raymond L Moody  1   2 , Tyrel J Starks  1   2   3 , Christian Grov  1   4 , Jeffrey T Parsons  5   6   7
Affiliations

Internalized Homophobia and Drug Use in a National Cohort of Gay and Bisexual Men: Examining Depression, Sexual Anxiety, and Gay Community Attachment as Mediating Factors

Raymond L Moody et al. Arch Sex Behav. 2018 May.

Abstract

The minority stress process of internalized homophobia (IH) has been associated with a range of adverse health outcomes among gay and bisexual men (GBM). However, evidence is mixed regarding the effect of IH on drug use, suggesting the potential role of multiple mediated pathways. Researchers have linked depression, sexual anxiety, and gay community attachment with IH. Depression, sexual anxiety, and gay community attachment have also been linked with drug use and drug-related problems suggesting potential mediating roles. A U.S. national sample of 1071 HIV-negative GBM completed at-home surveys, including measures of sociodemographic characteristics, IH, depression, sexual anxiety, gay community attachment, and drug use and associated problems. Adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, depression mediated the association between IH and recent drug use. IH was positively associated with depression, and depression was positively associated with recent drug use. Gay community attachment partially mediated drug-related problems. IH had a positive direct association with drug-related problems and a negative direct association with gay community attachment. Gay community attachment had a positive association with drug-related problems. IH was positively associated with sexual anxiety, but sexual anxiety was not associated with either drug outcome. Efforts to reduce IH among HIV-negative GBM are likely to have a positive impact on mental health problems, as well as reduce risk for drug use and drug-related problems. Gay communities could provide the social support necessary for reducing IH; however, emphasis on community level interventions that address factors that increase risk for drug-related problems remains important.

Keywords: Depression; Drug use; Gay and bisexual men; Gay community; Internalized homophobia; Sexual anxiety.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: Raymond L. Moody declares that he has not conflict of interest. Tyrel J. Starks declares that he has not conflict of interest. Christian Grov declares he has not conflict of interest. Jeffrey T. Parsons declares he has no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Internalized homophobia, mediators, and recent and drug-related problems: Path model results.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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