Loading...
Early Sexual Experiences, Mental Health, and Risk Behavior among Black Non-Hispanic and Hispanic / Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM).
Journal Title
Journal of child sexual abuse
Readers/Advisors
Journal Title
Term and Year
Publication Date
2019-11-07
Book Title
Publication Volume
29
Publication Issue
1
Publication Begin
41
Publication End
61
Number of pages
Collections
Files
Loading...
nihms-1541770.pdf
Adobe PDF, 367.16 KB
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Abstract
Black and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Investigating these histories is often confounded by underreporting and varied definitions of abuse. Unrecognized abuse may manifest in unhealthy ways, specifically psychological distress, substance use, and high-risk sexual behaviors. Black and Hispanic/Latino MSM in New York City discussed formative sexual experiences in in-person interviews. Eligible men reported a sexual experience occurring before age 16 with a man or woman 18 or older at the time. Among interviewees (n = 61), men living with HIV were significantly younger at the time of their first sexual experience with a male partner compared to HIV-negative men. Approximately half of interviewees (47.5%) scored at or above the diagnostic cutoff for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Hispanic/Latino men had increased odds of scoring at or above the diagnostic cutoff for PTSD compared to Black non-Hispanic men. Further, nearly half of interviewees (46%) scored at or above the diagnostic cutoff for harmful drug use or possible drug dependence. Study findings have implications for future research using an indirect approach to uncovering potential sexual abuse during childhood, and associations with adult health outcomes.
Citation
Downing MJ, Benoit E, Brown D, Coe L, Hirshfield S, Pansulla L, Carballo-Diéguez A. Early Sexual Experiences, Mental Health, and Risk Behavior among Black Non-Hispanic and Hispanic / Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM). J Child Sex Abus. 2020 Jan;29(1):41-61. doi: 10.1080/10538712.2019.1685618. Epub 2019 Nov 7. PMID: 31697197; PMCID: PMC7035177.