The health and well-being of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Britain: Evidence from the third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3)

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Kaye Wellings¹  Wendy Macdowall¹  Anthony Nardone²  Gwenda Hughes²  Nigel Field³  Catherine H. Mercer³  Clare Tanton³  Philip Prah³  Pam Sonnenberg³  Soazig Clifton³  Anne M. Johnson³ 

[1] Department of Social and Environmental Health Research, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Tavistock Place, London, UK;Public Health England, Colindale, London, UK;Research Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, 3rd floor Mortimer Market Centre, London, UK;

关键词: Sexual Function;    Sexual Health;    Health Inequality;    Sexual Identity;    Sexual Attitude;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-016-3149-z

 received in 2016-01-15, accepted in 2016-05-25,  发布年份 2016

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundTo date, research on men who have sex with men (MSM) has largely focused on their sexual health needs and on men recruited from gay-orientated venues. National probability survey data provide a rare opportunity to examine the broader sociodemographic, behavioural, and health profiles of MSM, defined as men who reported ≥1 male sexual partner(s) in the past 5 years, and thus regardless of their sexual identity, in comparison to men reporting sex exclusively with women (MSEW) during this time, and also the extent that health inequalities cluster.MethodsBritain’s third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3), a probability sample survey, interviewed 15,162 people aged 16–74 years (6,293 men) during 2010–2012 using computer-assisted personal-interviewing with a computer-assisted self-interview. We used multivariable regression to compare MSM relative to MSEW in their reporting of variables, individually and collectively, corresponding to three domains: physical, mental, and sexual health.ResultsAmong all men, 2.6 % (n = 190) were defined as MSM, of whom 52.5 % (95 % CI: 43.6 %–61.2 %) identified as gay. MSM were as likely as MSEW (n = 5,069) to perceive their health was ‘bad’/’very bad’, despite MSM being more likely to report a long-standing illness/disability/infirmity (adjusted odds ratio, AOR: 1.46, 95 % CI:1.02–2.09), treatment for depression/past year (2.75, 1.69–4.47), and substance use (e.g., recreational drug use/past year: 3.46, 2.22–5.40). MSM were more likely to report harmful sexual health behaviours, e.g., condomless sex with ≥2 partners/past year (3.52, 2.13–5.83), and poor sexual health outcomes, including STI diagnosis/es (5.67, 2.67–12.04), poorer sexual function (2.28, 1.57–3.33), both past year, and ever-experience of attempted non-volitional sex (6.51, 4.22–10.06). MSM were also more likely than MSEW to report poor health behaviours and outcomes both within and across the three health domains considered. Of all MSM, 8.4 % had experienced poor health outcomes in all three domains – physical, mental, and sexual health - in contrast to 1.5 % of all MSEW.ConclusionsMSM are disproportionately affected by a broad range of harmful health behaviours and poor health outcomes. Although often observed for a minority of MSM, many health inequalities were seen in combination such that policies and practices aimed at improving the health and well-being of MSM require a holistic approach, regardless of clinical specialty.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Mercer et al. 2016