Intimate partner violence and its associations among HIV-infected MSM with new drug abuse in Jinan, China

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 2517 - 10
• Main Authors: Yu, Yong, Cai, Huilin, Chen, Xi, Xiao, Fuqun, Qin, Keke, Li, Jiahong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 15.12.2023; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Aggression; Antiretroviral agents; Antiretroviral therapy; Anxiety; ART medication adherence; China - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Dating Violence; Demographic aspects; Disclosure; Disease transmission; Domestic violence; Drug abuse; Drug use; Drugs; Female; Gays & lesbians; Hallucinations; Health aspects; Heterosexuality; HIV; HIV infection; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV-infected MSM; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Male; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Hypotheses; Infections; Informed consent; Intimate Partner Violence; Male; Men who have sex with men; Mens health; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Methamphetamine; MSM (Men who have sex with men); New Drugs; Patient compliance; Personal relationships; Post traumatic stress disorder; Prevalence; Questionnaires; Risk behavior; Risk Factors; Risk taking; Self report; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sexual behavior; Sexual orientation; Sexual Partners - psychology; Sexual risk behavior; Sexually transmitted diseases; Social aspects; Social programs; STD; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Suicide; Threats; Violence; China; United States > US; Sexual risk behavior; Dating Violence; HIV-infected MSM; ART medication adherence; Mental health; New Drugs
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17451-4

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is prevalent among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM), with well-established risk factors and adverse outcomes. However, there is a lack of comprehensive investigation of both upstream risk factors and downstream adverse outcomes among HIV-infected MSM in a Chinese context. This study aimed to examine IPV and its associations among a Chinese sample of HIV-infected MSM. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 294 HIV-infected MSM in Jinan City from June to December 2020. All data were collected through an online questionnaire, which included IPV, sexual risk behavior, antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to examine risk factors and adverse outcomes of IPV. Of the 294 HIV-infected MSM, 71.1% experienced any IPV, including control (37.1%), threat of public identity (30.6%), emotional violence (25.2%), security threat (18.4%), and physical violence (13.9%). The prevalence of sexual risk behavior, good ART adherence, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation was 55.1%, 53.4%, 48.3%, 32.3%, and 65.0%, respectively. Abuse of methamphetamine (METH) (aOR:2.79; 95%CI:1.43 ~ 5.45), capsule 0 or stimulating liquid (aOR:2.68; 95%CI:1.31 ~ 5.47), Magu (aOR:3.16; 95%CI:1.51 ~ 6.60), and other new drugs (aOR:2.87; 95%CI:1.52 ~ 5.43), disclosing HIV infection to partners (aOR:2.03; 95%CI:1.10 ~ 3.78), and gay sexual orientation (aOR = 3.32; 95%CI: 1.82 ~ 6.05) were significantly correlated with the experience of IPV. In addition, IPV was significantly associated with sexual risk behavior (aOR = 2.02; 95%CI:1.16 ~ 3.53), ART adherence (aOR = 2.63; 95%CI:1.46 ~ 4.74), depression (aOR = 3.83; 95%CI:2.09 ~ 7.02), anxiety (aOR = 2.27; 95%CI:1.19 ~ 4.35), and suicidal ideation (aOR = 3.78; 95%CI:2.11 ~ 6.80). IPV is prevalent among HIV-infected MSM and is associated with poor behavioral and mental health, highlighting more efforts are needed to address this issue. The finding that new drug abuse, HIV disclosure, and gay sexual orientation are associated with increased risk of IPV provides essential insights for the development of comprehensive and targeted IPV prevention and intervention programs in the future.