Elevated 12-Month and Lifetime Prevalence and Comorbidity Rates of Mood, Anxiety, and Alcohol Use Disorders in Chinese Men Who Have Sex with Men

Lianzheng Yu,Huijuan Mu,Ying Chen,Guowei Pan,Yunyong Liu,Chao Jiang,Li Liu,Xiaoli Yang,Yuan Gu,Jun Na,Liya Yu,Li Zhao,Wenli Diao,Ning Li,Yan Zou,James Bennett Potash

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0050762

Abstract

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess whether Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) had a significantly elevated prevalence of psychiatric disorders compared to urban males in China.Methods807 MSM were recruited using a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method in urban area of northeast China. Psychiatric disorders were assessed employing the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI. Version 1.0) according to the criteria of the DSM-III-R.ResultsChinese MSM had a significantly elevated standardized prevalence ratios (SPR) for lifetime prevalence of any disorder (SPR = 2.8; 95%CI: 2.5–3.2), mood disorder (SPR = 3.0; 95%CI: 2.3–3.7), anxiety disorder (SPR = 5.5; 95% CI: 4.6–6.5), alcohol use disorder (SPR = 2.4, 95%CI: 2.0–2.8), and combination of disorders (SPR = 4.2; 95%CI: 3.4–5.1).ConclusionsChinese MSM had significantly elevated prevalence and comorbidity of psychiatric disorders. RDS is a suitable sampling method for psychiatric epidemiological survey in MSM population.

Highlights

Men who have sex with men (MSM) have long been known to exist in China, but were rarely recognized or accepted by the general population [1]
A national survey showed that 34.5% and 10.6% of Chinese gays or bisexuals had attempted or committed suicide, respectively [7]; several major studies out of China have shown that men who have sex with men (MSM) are vulnerable to psychiatric disorders, compared with heterosexual males [8,9]
The average age of the 807 MSM was 27.260.3 years; 68.2% were under 30 years of age, 15.2% were married, 12.3% were cohabited with men, 46.4% were bisexual, 38.8% were gay, and 12.8% were of unknown sexual orientation(Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Men who have sex with men (MSM) have long been known to exist in China, but were rarely recognized or accepted by the general population [1] This hidden population has received increasing attention in recent years because of a high HIV infection rate [2]. To assess whether Chinese MSM had a significantly elevated level of psychiatric disorders, as reported in MSM of other countries, we surveyed 807 MSM using a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method in four cities of Liaoning province, northeast China. This study aimed to assess whether Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) had a significantly elevated prevalence of psychiatric disorders compared to urban males in China

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion