Sexual Health, Alcohol Use, Childhood Sexual Abuse, and Mental Health Outcomes Among Spanish-speaking Latino MSM in the Northeastern United States
Abstract
Background: Little is known about the health status of predominantly Spanish-speaking Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: Between January and March of 2014 a cohort of Latino MSM (N = 176) was recruited to participate in Latinos en Pareja, an HIV/STI prevention intervention adaptation study. A multinomial logistic regression model predicting problematic alcohol consumption was carried out; demographic characteristics, sexual risk factors, childhood sexual abuse experiences, and mental health outcomes were included in the model. Results: Prevalence estimates of problematic alcohol consumption in the past 30 days and clinically significant depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥ 10) were 47% and 68%, respectively. Internal consistency reliability coefficients of the CES-D scale were satisfactory (Cronbach α = 0.86). Among participants who reported sexual activity before the age of 17 (n = 130, 74%), 39 participants (30%) reported childhood sexual abuse. In univariable analyses, characteristics and covariates associated with problematic alcohol consumption included having more than one sexual partner in the past 3 months, engaging in risky sexual behavior (operationalized as condom nonuse in the past 3 months), being in a relationship, reporting intimate partner violence, screening for clinically significant depressive symptoms, and having experienced childhood sexual abuse. In the multinomial logistic regression model, problematic alcohol consumption was predicted by having more than one sexual partner in the past 3 months, engaging in risky sexual behavior, being in a relationship, and reporting intimate partner violence. Conclusions: Further work is needed to develop effective prevention intervention approaches for problematic alcohol consumption among Latino MSM. Given the gap in research on Latino MSM and the high prevalence estimate of childhood sexual abuse among this subpopulation, there is a need to steer effective preventive and treatment interventions to meet the particular needs of this community.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1089/aid.2014.5272b.abstract
