The Relationship Between Psychological Temporal Perspective and HIV/STI Risk Behaviors Among Male Sex Workers in Mexico City

Abstract

Men who have sex with men (MSM) face a disproportionate burden of HIV incidence and HIV prevalence, particularly young men who have sex with men. The aim of this article was to analyze the relation between a psychological temporal perspective and HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk behaviors among male sex workers (MSWs), a potentially highly present-oriented group of MSM. A total sample of 326 MSWs were included and responded to a validated psychological scale: the Zimbardo's Time Perspective Inventory; they also reported how frequently they engaged in protective behaviors against HIV and other STI risks behaviors, including condom use with casual and regular partners, as well as prior HIV testing. We adjusted structural equation models to analyze the relation between a psychological temporal perspective and HIV/STI risk behaviors. We found that orientation toward the past was correlated with decreased condom use with casual partners (β = - 0.18; CI_95% - 0.23, - 0.12). Future orientation was not associated with condom use with casual partners. Regarding condom use with regular partners, past and present orientation were related to lower likelihood of condom use (β = - 0.23; CI_95% - 0.29, - 0.17; β = - 0.11; CI_95% - 0.19, - 0.02), whereas future orientation increased the likelihood of condom use with regular partners (β = 0.40; CI_95% 0.31, 0.50). Time orientation (past, present, or future) did not predict the probability of having an HIV test. The design of HIV/STI prevention programs among vulnerable populations, such as MSM and MSWs, should consider specific time-frame mechanisms that can importantly affect sexual risk behavior decisions.

Keywords: HIV/AIDS prevention; Mexico; Psychological time perspective; Sexually transmitted infection prevention; Time preference discounting.

Fig. 1

Conceptual model: time perspective and safe sexual behaviors. Figures: rectangles are observable variables, ovals represent latent variables for time perspectives, and epsilons are errors for response variables. Arrows: The curved arrows between latent variables indicate that they are correlated. Boldface arrows are the structural coefficients between time perspective and sexual behaviors. Other straight one-headed arrows represent a direct relationship between two variables. ZTPI: standardized items from Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory (number of item is included in label). Sexual behaviors: comprise condom use with casual or regular partners, and being tested for HIV. Latent variable: A variable in the model that is not measured directly. Error: The set of unspecified causes of the explained variable. Structural coefficients: the effect variable expected given a one unit change in the causal variable and no change in any other variable

Fig. 2

Structural equation model: time perspective and condom use with casual partners. CP casual partners. ZTPI Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory (index item number). Dashed lines are statistically nonsignificant

Fig. 3

Structural equation model: time perspective and condom use with regular partners. RP regular partners. ZTPI Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory (index item number). Dashed lines are statistically nonsignificant

Fig. 4

Structural equation model: time perspective and HIV testing. ZTPI Zimbardo’s Time Perspective Inventory (index item number). Dashed lines are statistically nonsignificant