Protective Factors That Foster Resilience to HIV/AIDS: Insights and Lived Experiences of Older Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men

Abstract

Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) have been disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS health disparities. Research showed that resilience to HIV/AIDS is associated with increased use of relevant health services, lower sexual health risks, and improved mental health outcomes among racially and ethnically diverse gbMSM. As the subpopulation that has historically been impacted by HIV/AIDS the longest, older gbMSM living with HIV/AIDS have inarguably exhibited resilience to HIV/AIDS the most. The qualitative study described in this paper sought to identify and examine protective factors that fostered resilience to HIV/AIDS based on the insights and lived experiences of racially and ethnically diverse, older gbMSM. Applying a community-based participatory research approach that included the meaningful involvement of older gbMSM living with HIV/AIDS in different roles (i.e., advisory committee member, collaborator, peer researcher, and participant), the study recruited and included forty-one older gbMSM living with HIV/AIDS from Ontario, Canada, in confidential, semi-structured interviews. Utilizing thematic analysis, we identified three major themes from the participant interviews as factors that fostered the resilience of older gbMSM to HIV/AIDS and helped to address HIV/AIDS health disparities: (1) established protective factors, (2) behavioral protective factors, and (3) controversial protective factors. This paper argues for the importance of valuing and capitalizing on these protective factors in the conceptualization and development of interventions, services, and programs that are dedicated to fostering resilience to HIV/AIDS.

I Am More than HIV: A Qualitative Exploration of Factors That Can Strengthen Resilience Among HIV-Positive Gay Men in Australia

“…Resilience development was also fostered through access to others’ lived experience (e.g., through HIV centers and support groups), which helped men re-assess their own internal responses to both internalized and external stigmas and provided suggested coping strategies (e.g., mindfulness, advice on sexual orientation or HIV disclosure, and dating with HIV). The current findings reflect Canadian studies (Liboro et al, 2021a, b ) that found access to HIV information and support services fostered internal and external resilience and are important factors in HIV health management. Sadly, access to such services is not fully equitable throughout Australia and participants in this study moved to the city for such services.…”

“…Much international HIV stigma research over the past decade has sought to quantify resilience through scores on self-report scales that measure the individual, interpersonal, or community-level resources that individuals might utilize to strengthen resilience (Brewer et al, 2020 ; Dulin et al, 2018 ; Gottert et al, 2019 ; Hussen et al, 2017 ). While these studies demonstrate that individuals who have access to such resources report higher resilience scores, these quantitative measures do not capture the multifaceted construct of stigma experience (e.g., multiple adversities or access to HIV-support services or LGBTQIA+ inclusive providers) that impacts on resilience development as evident in qualitative research findings (Dulin et al, 2018 ; Emlet et al, 2011 ; Harper et al, 2014 ; Liboro et al, 2021a , b ). Thus, the need to understand these complex processes invites research on the multifaceted nature of stigma, for example, via applying intersectionality theory (Cole, 2009 ) to stigma research.…”

Forging Resilience to HIV/AIDS: Personal Strengths of Middle-aged and Older Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With HIV/AIDS

“…The majority of previous research conducted on resilience to HIV/AIDS in the past decade has historically utilized quantitative studies that employed frameworks, surveys, scales, and general measures to approximate the concept of resilience to HIV/AIDS, which were neither customized for the context nor established with the perspectives and direct input of PLWH (Dulin et al, 2018;Emlet et al 2013;Gottert et al, 2019). Notably, several research studies on resilience to HIV/AIDS that were conducted in the last 10 years have not exclusively focused on factors nor generated findings specific to individual attributes that PLWH possessed or mustered, but instead have examined and documented the importance of external factors to forging resilience to HIV/AIDS such as social support from family and friends, improved access to HIV treatment and care, and increased use of health services in the community (Emlet et al, 2013;Green & Wheeler, 2019;Harper et al, 2014;Harrison & Li, 2018;Liboro et al, 2021;Owens et al 2021).…”

Parenting Style and Resilience among Homosexual in Indonesia

“…Another factor that can affect homosexual resilience (gay) is a psychosocial factor that is owned so that it can affect homosexual resilience one of which is gay (Lyons et al, 2016). In Liboro et al (2021) revealed that factors that can protect homosexual resilience (gay) are stable protection factors including spirituality, social support from friends and the environment, as well as educational factors, then the habit or behavioral factors that include activeness in participating in volunteer activities. The thing described above proves that resilience in homosexuals (gay) is not related to parenting style.…”