Spirituality/religiosity, substance use, and HIV testing among young black men who have sex with men

Abstract

Background Spirituality and religiosity may serve as both a resource and a barrier to HIV prevention with young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). We examined indices of spirituality/religiosity as correlates of binge drinking, stimulant use, and recent HIV testing in a sample of YBMSM. Methods From 2011–2013, annual venue-based surveys of sexually active YBMSM ages 18–29 were conducted in Dallas and Houston, Texas. Binge drinking and stimulant use were assessed in the past two months. Participants recently tested for HIV (i.e., within the past six months) were compared to those without recent HIV testing (i.e., never tested or tested more than six months ago). Results Among the 1,565 HIV-negative or HIV-unknown YBMSM enrolled, more engagement in spiritual and religious activities was associated with greater odds of reporting stimulant use (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.04 – 1.40) while higher spiritual coping was associated with lower odds of reporting stimulant use (AOR = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.56 – 0.78). Binge drinking was independently associated with 29% lower odds of recent HIV testing (AOR = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.55–0.92), but lower odds of binge drinking did not mediate the association of engagement in spiritual and religious activities with 27% greater odds of recent HIV testing (AOR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.11–1.46). Conclusions Among YBMSM, culturally tailored approaches addressing spirituality/religiosity could support prevention of stimulant use and increase HIV testing. In particular, expanded efforts are needed to promote HIV testing in binge drinkers.

Belief, Behavior, and Belonging: How Faith is Indispensable in Preventing and Recovering from Substance Abuse

“…However, higher levels of religion and spirituality at the baseline were related to increased marijuana use at the 6-month follow-up, as participants reported that they felt more spiritually connected when they were high on marijuana. Another recent mixed-results study of 1565 young black homosexual men in Houston and Dallas showed that participation in spiritual and religious activities is an important source of resilience, albeit a risk for these men (Carrico et al 2017). On the one hand, the odds of substance use diminished when the men had higher levels of “spiritual coping” (i.e., the ability to tap into spiritual support and look for meaning in a traumatic situation).…”

Comparing Web-Based Platforms for Promoting HIV Self-Testing and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake in High-Risk Men Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for a Longitudinal Cohort Study

“…Younger MSM (<30 years old) are moderately more likely to never have been tested for HIV [ 19 , 20 ], and common barriers to HIV testing, such as not having insurance or transportation to a testing place, are reported more by younger MSM [ 21 , 22 ]. Substance use is also associated with decreased odds of recent HIV testing and increased likelihood of unknown HIV infection [ 23 , 24 ], suggesting an unmet need for HIV testing promotion, particularly among younger MSM and those who use substances.…”

The Influence of Religion and Spirituality on HIV Prevention Among Black and Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men, New York City

“…Another study cited that religious behavior among gay men is associated with higher CD4 counts (Woods et al 1999). Some research indicates that engagement in R/S activities among Black MSM is associated with greater odds of HIV testing (Carrico et al 2017). However, certain HIV risk factors such as substance use and depression have been positively associated with religiosity among Black MSM (Watkins et al 2016).…”