HIV stigma experienced by young men who have sex with men (MSM) living with HIV infection.

Stigma can compromise the health of persons living with HIV. Although HIV is increasingly affecting young men who have sex with men (MSM), little is known about their experiences with HIV stigma. We used narrative data to examine HIV stigma experienced by young MSM living with HIV. Data came from 28 qualitative interviews with young MSM. We used inductive content analysis to identify themes across these interviews. Participants commonly discussed negative perceptions and treatment of persons living with HIV. Stigma could result in nondisclosure of HIV status, internalized stigma, and avoidance of HIV-related things. Some men discussed strategies that might combat stigma. Findings suggest that HIV stigma might challenge young MSM's health by undermining health-conducive resources (e.g., social support) and contributing to HIV vulnerability. Interventions that counteract HIV stigma may help to create environments that promote well-being among young MSM living with HIV.

[1]  R. Pasick,et al.  Theorizing Social Context: Rethinking Behavioral Theory , 2009, Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education.

[2]  S. Maman,et al.  A comparison of HIV stigma and discrimination in five international sites: the influence of care and treatment resources in high prevalence settings. , 2009, Social science & medicine.

[3]  E. Goffman.  Stigma; Notes On The Management Of Spoiled Identity , 1964 .

[4]  Bruce G. Link,et al.  Stigma as a fundamental cause of population health inequalities. , 2013, American journal of public health.

[5]  D. Rao,et al.  Stigma and social barriers to medication adherence with urban youth living with HIV , 2007, AIDS care.

[6]  A. O'Leary.  Guessing Games: Sex Partner Serostatus Assumptions Among HIV-Positive Gay and Bisexual Men. , 2005 .

[7]  R. Beidas,et al.  Stigma and sexual health risk in HIV-positive African American young men who have sex with men. , 2010, AIDS patient care and STDs.

[8]  S. Sengupta,et al.  HIV Interventions to Reduce HIV/AIDS Stigma: A Systematic Review , 2011, AIDS and Behavior.

[9]  B. Mustanski,et al.  HIV in Young Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Review of Epidemiology, Risk and Protective Factors, and Interventions , 2011, Journal of sex research.

[10]  Timothy A. Akers,et al.  A model of HIV disclosure: Disclosure and types of social relationships , 2007, Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

[11]  Frank H. Galvan,et al.  Longitudinal Relationships Between Antiretroviral Treatment Adherence and Discrimination Due to HIV-Serostatus, Race, and Sexual Orientation Among African–American Men with HIV , 2010, Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine.

[12]  R. Stephenson,et al.  Intragroup Stigma Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Data Extraction from Craigslist Ads in 11 Cities in the United States , 2016, JMIR public health and surveillance.

[13]  Hsiu-Fang Hsieh,et al.  Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis , 2005, Qualitative health research.

[14]  S. Stewart,et al.  Stigma never dies: Mourning a spouse who died of AIDS in China , 2015, Psychiatry Research.

[15]  J. Parsons,et al.  Is HIV/AIDS stigma dividing the gay community? Perceptions of HIV-positive men who have sex with men. , 2006, AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education.

[16]  H. Deacon,et al.  Understanding HIV/AIDS stigma: a theoretical and methodological analysis , 2005 .

[17]  S. Kalichman,et al.  Measuring AIDS stigmas in people living with HIV/AIDS: the Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale , 2009, AIDS care.

[18]  Frank H. Galvan,et al.  Perceived discrimination and mental health symptoms among Black men with HIV. , 2011, Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology.

[19]  M. Carey,et al.  Impact of HIV-Related Stigma on Health Behaviors and Psychological Adjustment Among HIV-Positive Men and Women , 2006, AIDS and Behavior.

[20]  G. Scambler.  Health-related stigma. , 2009, Sociology of health & illness.

[21]  David R. Holtgrave,et al.  The Effects of HIV Stigma on Health, Disclosure of HIV Status, and Risk Behavior of Homeless and Unstably Housed Persons Living with HIV , 2009, AIDS and Behavior.

[22]  D. Kanouse,et al.  An intervention to reduce HIV-related stigma in partnership with African American and Latino churches. , 2014, AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education.

[23]  Yan Zhang,et al.  Qualitative Analysis of Content by , 2005 .

[24]  Robert Garofalo,et al.  Experiences of HIV-related stigma among young men who have sex with men. , 2009, AIDS patient care and STDs.

[25]  M. Foreman,et al.  Not Just another Long Term Chronic Illness — Social Work and HIV in Ireland , 2016 .

[26]  J. Pryor,et al.  Stigma, Secrecy, and Discrimination: Ethnic/Racial Differences in the Concerns of People Living with HIV/AIDS , 2008, AIDS and Behavior.

[27]  S. Gaskins,et al.  “Wake Up! HIV is at Your Door”: African American Faith Leaders in the Rural South and HIV Perceptions: A Qualitative Analysis , 2016, Journal of Religion and Health.