Mental health, resilience and HIV in older gay and bisexual men

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study seeks to evaluate mental health disparities among older gay and bisexual men, based upon their HIV status. The study can be classified as a quantitative, descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional study. Responses were collected from a total of 201 men, with 16.9% being HIV positive, 80.6% identifying as homosexual and 13.9% identifying as bisexual. Participants responded to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the BSI-18 and the CDRISC-10. The sample collected revealed moderate levels of self-esteem, depression and anxiety that were below the average observed among the general population, as well as higher than expected levels of resilience. Older bisexual men showed higher levels of self-esteem and resilience in comparison with older homosexual men, while older gay men showed higher levels of depression when compared to older bisexual men. Self-esteem was negatively correlated with both depression and anxiety, while being positively correlated with resilience. In contrast, depression was negatively correlated with resilience and, conversely, positively correlated with anxiety. Furthermore, anxiety was negatively correlated with resilience. Multiple linear regression models explain 33% of the general variation of depressive symptoms and 25% of the variation of symptoms of anxiety. Regarding comparisons based upon HIV status, no statistically significant differences were found between HIV-positive and HIV-negative men.