TY - JOUR
T1 - The Relationship of Internalized Homonegativity to Sexual Health and Well-Being Among Men in 38 European Countries Who Have Sex With Men
AU - Berg, Rigmor C.
AU - Weatherburn, Peter
AU - Ross, Michael W.
AU - Schmidt, Axel J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015, © Rigmor C. Berg, Peter Weatherburn, Michael W. Ross, and Axel J. Schmidt. Published with license by Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2015/7/3
Y1 - 2015/7/3
N2 - The objective of this article is to examine internalized homonegativity (IH) in relation to aspects of well-being and several measures of clinical importance among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) in 38 countries. The data were collected as part of the EMIS project. The multivariable regression analysis identified independent associations with IH for nongay identity, younger age, being closeted, limited gay social affiliation, and sexual unhappiness. IH was also positively associated with loneliness, inability to decline unwanted sex, and being less knowledgeable about HIV and HIV testing. These results provide evidence that homonegative internalization merits consideration as a predisposing factor in several aspects of ill health. There are also several clinical implications of this project, including: (1) Treatment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons should address gay self-acceptance, as internalized homonegativity seems to be a predisposing factor in several aspects of ill health among this population, and (2) therapy that is used to help LGB persons accept and integrate a gay or lesbian identity seems particularly important for younger, nongay identified persons.
AB - The objective of this article is to examine internalized homonegativity (IH) in relation to aspects of well-being and several measures of clinical importance among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) in 38 countries. The data were collected as part of the EMIS project. The multivariable regression analysis identified independent associations with IH for nongay identity, younger age, being closeted, limited gay social affiliation, and sexual unhappiness. IH was also positively associated with loneliness, inability to decline unwanted sex, and being less knowledgeable about HIV and HIV testing. These results provide evidence that homonegative internalization merits consideration as a predisposing factor in several aspects of ill health. There are also several clinical implications of this project, including: (1) Treatment of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons should address gay self-acceptance, as internalized homonegativity seems to be a predisposing factor in several aspects of ill health among this population, and (2) therapy that is used to help LGB persons accept and integrate a gay or lesbian identity seems particularly important for younger, nongay identified persons.
KW - HIV
KW - health-care needs
KW - internalized homonegativity
KW - mental health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84938519605&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84938519605&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/19359705.2015.1024375
DO - 10.1080/19359705.2015.1024375
M3 - Article
C2 - 26692916
AN - SCOPUS:84938519605
SN - 1935-9705
VL - 19
SP - 285
EP - 302
JO - Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health
JF - Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health
IS - 3
ER -