Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title
Pantalone DW, Valentine SE, Woodward EN, O'Cleirigh C. Syndemic Indicators Predict Poor Medication Adherence and Increased Health Care Utilization for Urban HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health. 2017 Nov 28; 22(1):71-87.
Research on men who have sex with men (MSM) has uncovered psychosocial factors (syndemic indicators) that are associated additively with poor health. To test these relations in a sample of HIV-positive MSM, we enrolled 166 patients from two HIV clinics. We investigated relations between syndemic indicators and outcomes including medication nonadherence, condomless anal sex (CAS), and healthcare utilization. A large proportion of participants reported each syndemic indicator: polysubstance use 43%, suicide attempt 28%, childhood sexual abuse 39%, partner abuse 64%. Analyses confirmed an additive effect, whereby endorsing 1+ indicator was associated with increased odds of medication nonadherence and medical hospitalization.