Examining the Relationships Between Religiosity, Spirituality, Internalized Homonegativity, and Condom Use Among African-American Men Who Have Sex With Men

Although disproportionate HIV infection rates among African-American men who have sex with men (AAMSM) have been well-documented, less is known about reasons for the disparity. The Sexual Health in Faith Traditions (SHIFT) Study evaluated the relationships between religiosity, spirituality, internalized homonegativity, and frequency of condom use among a sample of 348 AAMSM living in the Deep South region of the United States. Participants completed a self-administered, paper-and-pencil survey. The Internalized Homonegativity Inventory (IHNI) was used to measure internalized homonegativity, the Religious Commitment Inventory-10 (RCI-10) to assess religiosity, and the Daily Spiritual Experiences Scale (DSES) to measure spirituality. Structural equation modeling was used to determine relationships between religiosity, spirituality, internalized homonegativity, and frequency of condom use for both insertive and receptive anal intercourse in the last 3 months. The mean age of participants was 28.24, and more than 20% were living with HIV. Almost half of respondents reported using condoms “Every time” they engaged in insertive (48.3%) or receptive (45.1%) anal intercourse. Structural equation models found that religiosity was positively associated with personal & moral homonegativity and negatively associated with gay affirmation, while spirituality was negatively associated with personal & moral homonegativity and positively associated with gay affirmation. There were no significant direct relationships between religiosity and condom use or spirituality and condom use; however, there were significant indirect relationships using the dimensions of internalized homonegativity as mediators. These findings suggest that religiosity and spirituality have the potential to influence AAMSM’s feelings toward their sexuality and engagement in safer sex behaviors

Different Dimensions: Internalized Homonegativity Among African American Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Deep South

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Internalized Homonegativity Inventory (IHNI) among African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM) in the southeastern United States. Data from 261 AAMSM were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. Results showed evidence of a two-factor solution: personal and moral homonegativity and gay affirmation. Internal consistencies were greater than .80, and correlations with other variables (e.g., sociodemographics, religiosity, masculinity) provided evidence of validity. Findings suggesting a two-factor instead of a three-factor solution may indicate that the IHNI manifests differently for AAMSM in the Deep South than for predominantly White MSM. Further research should examine how incorporating new conceptions of internalized homonegativity into culturally specific health-promotion interventions for AAMSM might enhance effectiveness

Examining the Relationships Between Religiosity, Spirituality, Internalized Homonegativity, and Condom Use Among African American Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Deep South

The Sexual Health in Faith Traditions Study evaluated the relationships between religiosity, spirituality, internalized homonegativity, and sexual risk behaviors among a sample of African American men who have sex with men living in the Deep South. Participants were recruited primarily from Black Gay Pride celebrations to complete a self-administered, paper-and-pencil survey. Structural equation modeling was used to determine relationships between key constructs and condom use for insertive (n = 285) and receptive (n = 263) anal intercourse in the past 3 months. Almost half of respondents reported using condoms “every time” when engaging in insertive (48.3%) or receptive (45.1%) anal intercourse. Religiosity and spirituality were differentially associated with dimensions of internalized homonegativity. While no significant direct relationships were reported between either religiosity or spirituality and condom use, dimensions of internalized homonegativity mediated significant indirect relationships. Findings suggest that religiosity and spirituality influence African American men who have sex with men’s internalized homonegativity and, subsequently, engagement in safer sex behaviors