Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T21:33:38.184Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relationship Characteristics and Dyadic Approaches to HIV Health-Enhancing Behaviours Among a Sample of Same-Sex Male Couples From Three U.S. Cities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 May 2018

Jessica Marsack Open the ORCID record for Jessica Marsack [Opens in a new window] ,
Erin Kahle ,
Nicolas A. Suarez ,
Matthew J. Mimiaga ,
Robert Garofalo ,
Emily Brown ,
Anna Marie Bratcher ,
Taylor Wimbly ,
Marco A. Hidalgo  and
Samuel Hoehnle
...Show all authors
Jessica Marsack*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Erin Kahle
Affiliation:
Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Nicolas A. Suarez
Affiliation:
Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Matthew J. Mimiaga
Affiliation:
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA Center for Health Equity Research, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA Departments of Behavioral and Social Health Sciences and Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Robert Garofalo
Affiliation:
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Emily Brown
Affiliation:
The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Anna Marie Bratcher
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Taylor Wimbly
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Marco A. Hidalgo
Affiliation:
Center for Trans Youth Health and Development, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
Samuel Hoehnle
Affiliation:
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Jennie Thai
Affiliation:
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
Patrick S. Sullivan
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Rob Stephenson
Affiliation:
Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan School of Nursing, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Jessica Marsack, Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, University of Michigan School of Nursing, 400 N. Ingalls St., Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Recent modelling estimates up to two-thirds of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men occur within partnerships, indicating the importance of dyadic HIV prevention efforts. Although new interventions are available to promote dyadic health-enhancing behaviours, minimal research has examined what factors influence partners’ mutual engagement in these behaviours, a critical component of intervention success. Actor-partner interdependence modelling was used to examine associations between relationship characteristics and several dyadic outcomes theorised as antecedents to health-enhancing behaviours: planning and decision making, communication, and joint effort. Among 270 male-male partnerships, relationship satisfaction was significantly associated with all three outcomes for actors (p = .02, .02, .06 respectively). Latino men reported poorer planning and decision making (actor p = .032) and communication (partner p = .044). Alcohol use was significantly and negatively associated with all outcomes except actors’ planning and decision making (actors: p = .11, .038, .004 respectively; partners: p = .03, .056, .02 respectively). Having a sexual agreement was significantly associated with actors’ planning and decision making (p = .007) and communication (p = .008). Focusing on interactions between partners produces a more comprehensive understanding of male couples’ ability to engage in health-enhancing behaviours. This knowledge further identifies new and important foci for the tailoring of dyadic HIV prevention and care interventions.

Keywords

health disparitiesdyadsexual minority healthMSM
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Relationships Research , Volume 9 , 2018 , e10
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Baiocco, R., D'Alessio, M., & Laghi, F. (2010). Binge drinking among gay, and lesbian youths: The role of internalized sexual stigma, self-disclosure, and individuals’ sense of connectedness to the gay community. Addictive Behaviors, 35, 896–899.Google Scholar
Bishop, N.S. (2014). Internalized oppression, restricted affection, and psychological distress in Asian and Latino men who have sex with men. Unpublished masters thesis, University of Tennessee.Google Scholar
Carpenter, J., Andrykowski, M., Wilson, J., Hall, L., Kay Rayens, M., Sachs, B., & Cunningham, L. (1998). Psychometrics for two short forms of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 19, 481–494.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). HIV among gay and bisexual men. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/msm/Google Scholar
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). HIV among gay and bisexual men. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/msm/index.htmlGoogle Scholar
Choi, K.-H., Paul, J., Ayala, G., Boylan, R., & Gregorich, S.E. (2013). Experiences of discrimination and their impact on the mental health among African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, and Latino men who have sex with men. American Journal of Public Health, 103, 868–874.Google Scholar
Darbes, L.A., Chakravarty, D., Beougher, S.C., Neilands, T.B., & Hoff, C.C. (2012). Partner-provided social support influences choice of risk reduction strategies in gay male couples. AIDS and Behavior, 16, 159–167.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Darbes, L.A., Chakravarty, D., Neilands, T.B., Beougher, S.C., & Hoff, C.C. (2014). Sexual risk for HIV among gay male couples: A longitudinal study of the impact of relationship dynamics. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 43, 47–60.Google Scholar
Denes, A., & Afifi, T.D. (2014). Pillow talk and cognitive decision-making processes: Exploring the influence of orgasm and alcohol on communication after sexual activity. Communication Monographs, 81, 333–358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fan, W., Lu, R., Wu, G., Yousuf, M.A., Feng, L., Li, X., . . . Ruan, Y. (2016). Alcohol drinking and HIV-related risk among men who have sex with men in Chongqing, China. Alcohol, 50, 1–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilbert, P.A., Perreira, K., Eng, E., & Rhodes, S.D. (2014). Social stressors and alcohol use among immigrant sexual and gender minority Latinos in a nontraditional settlement state. Substance Use & Misuse, 49, 1365–1375.Google Scholar
Gomez, A.M., Beougher, S.C., Chakravarty, D., Neilands, T.B., Mandic, C.G., Darbes, L.A., & Hoff, C.C. (2012). Relationship dynamics as predictors of broken agreements about outside sexual partners: implications for HIV prevention among gay couples. AIDS and Behavior, 16, 1584–1588.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Goodreau, S.M., Carnegie, N.B., Vittinghoff, E., Lama, J.R., Sanchez, J., Grinsztejn, B., . . . Buchbinder, S.P. (2012). What drives the US and Peruvian HIV epidemics in men who have sex with men (MSM)? PloS One, 7, e50522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hall, H.I., Song, R, Tang, T., An, Q., Prejean, J., Dietz, P., . . . Mermin, J. (2017). HIV trends in the United States: Diagnoses and estimated incidence. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 3, e8.Google Scholar
Hatcher, A.M., Colvin, C.J., Ndlovu, N., & Dworkin, S.L. (2014). Intimate partner violence among rural South African men: Alcohol use, sexual decision-making, and partner communication. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 16, 1023–1039.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hatzenbuehler, M.L., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., & Erickson, S.J. (2008). Minority stress predictors of HIV risk behavior, substance use, and depressive symptoms: Results from a prospective study of bereaved gay men. Health Psychology, 27, 455–462.Google Scholar
Hoff, C.C., Chakravarty, D., Beougher, S.C., Neilands, T.B., & Darbes, L.A. (2012). Relationship characteristics associated with sexual risk behavior among MSM in committed relationships. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 26, 738–745.Google Scholar
Kaplan, R.L., Wagner, G.J., Nehme, S., Aunon, F., Khouri, D., & Mokhbat, J. (2015). Forms of safety and their impact on health: An exploration of HIV/AIDS-related risk and resilience among trans women in Lebanon. Health Care for Women International, 36, 917–935.Google Scholar
Karney, B.R., Hops, H., Redding, C.A., Reis, H.T., Rothman, A.J., & Simpson, J.A. (2010). A framework for incorporating dyads in models of HIV-prevention. AIDS and Behavior, 14, 189–203.Google Scholar
Kenny, D.A., Kashy, D.A., & Cook, W.L. (2006). Dyadic data analysis. New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Larzelere, R.E., & Huston, T.L. (1980). The dyadic trust scale: Toward understanding interpersonal trust in close relationships. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 595–604.Google Scholar
Lelutiu-Weinberger, C., Gamarel, K.E., Golub, S.A., & Parsons, J.T. (2015). Race-based differentials in the impact of mental health and stigma on HIV risk among young men who have sex with men. Health Psychology, 34, 847–856.Google Scholar
Lemieux, R., & Hale, J.L. (1999). Intimacy, passion, and commitment in young romantic relationships: Successfully measuring the triangular theory of love. Psychological Reports, 85, 497–503.Google Scholar
Lemieux, R., & Hale, J.L. (2000). Intimacy, passion, and commitment among married individuals: Further testing of the triangular theory of love. Psychological Reports, 87, 941–948.Google Scholar
Levinger, G., & Pietromonaco, P. (1989). Conflict Style Inventory. Unpublished scale, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.Google Scholar
Lewis, M.A., McBride, C.M., Pollak, K.I., Puleo, E., Butterfield, R.M., & Emmons, K.M. (2006). Understanding health behavior change among couples: An interdependence and communal coping approach. Social Science & Medicine, 62, 1369–1380.Google Scholar
Meyer, I.H., Frost, D.M., Narvaez, R., & Dietrich, J.H. (2006). Project Stride methodology and technical notes. Unpublished manuscript, Columbia University.Google Scholar
Mitchell, J.W. (2014a). Between and within couple-level factors associated with gay male couples’ investment in a sexual agreement. AIDS and Behavior, 18, 1454–1465.Google Scholar
Mitchell, J.W. (2014b). Characteristics and allowed behaviors of gay male couples’ sexual agreements. The Journal of Sex Research, 51, 316–328.Google Scholar
Mitchell, J.W., & Petroll, A.E. (2013). Factors associated with men in HIV-negative gay couples who practiced UAI within and outside of their relationship. AIDS and Behavior, 17, 1329–1337.Google Scholar
Mustanski, B., Newcomb, M.E., & Clerkin, E.M. (2011). Relationship characteristics and sexual risk-taking in young men who have sex with men. Health Psychology, 30, 597–605.Google Scholar
O'Rourke, N., & Hatcher, L. (2013). A step-by-step approach to using SAS for factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Cary, NC: SAS Institute.Google Scholar
Pachankis, J.E., Hatzenbuehler, M.L., & Starks, T.J. (2014). The influence of structural stigma and rejection sensitivity on young sexual minority men's daily tobacco and alcohol use. Social Science & Medicine, 103, 67–75.Google Scholar
Peacock, E., Andrinopoulos, K., & Hembling, J. (2015). Binge drinking among men who have sex with men and transgender women in San Salvador: Correlates and sexual health implications. Journal of Urban Health, 92, 701–716.Google Scholar
Salazar, L.F., Stephenson, R.B., Sullivan, P.S., & Tarver, R. (2013). Development and validation of HIV-related dyadic measures for men who have sex with men. Journal of Sex Research, 50, 164–177.Google Scholar
Stephenson, R., & Finneran, C. (2013). The IPV-GBM scale: A new scale to measure intimate partner violence among gay and bisexual men. PloS One, 8, e62592.Google Scholar
Sullivan, P.S., Salazar, L., Buchbinder, S., & Sanchez, T.H. (2009). Estimating the proportion of HIV transmissions from main sex partners among men who have sex with men in five US cities. Aids, 23, 1153–1162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Velez, B.L., Moradi, B., & DeBlaere, C. (2015). Multiple oppressions and the mental health of sexual minority Latina/o individuals. The Counseling Psychologist, 43, 7–38.Google Scholar
World Health Organization. (2012). Guidance on couples HIV testing and counselling including antiretroviral therapy for treatment and prevention in serodiscordant couples: Recommendations for a public health approach. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/guidelines/9789241501972/en/Google Scholar
Zvara, B.J., Mills-Koonce, W.R., Heilbron, N., Clincy, A., & Cox, M.J. (2015). The interdependence of adult relationship quality and parenting behaviours among African American and European couples in rural, low-income communities. Infant and Child Development, 24, 343–363.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed