HIV-stigma and Self-Reported Health Status Among HIV-Positive MSM: The Moderating Role of Coping Self-Efficacy

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the role of coping self-efficacy as a factor moderating the relationship between HIV-related discrimination and self-reported health status among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods: A sample of 456 Italian HIV-positive MSM responded to a questionnaire containing measures of HIV-related discrimination, coping self-efficacy, and self-reported health status. Results: Emotion-focused coping self-efficacy and social-based coping self-efficacy buffered the relationship between HIV-related discrimination and health status. Problem-focused coping self-efficacy did not moderate this relationship. Conclusions: Self-efficacy moderates the relationship between HIV-related discrimination and self-reported health status among MSM.

KEYWORDS:

• Coping self-efficacy
• HIV-stigma
• health
• MSM
• HIV/AIDS
• discrimination

Acknowledgements

We thank the members of the scientific committee of the research project for their contribution: Michele Breveglieri, Sandro Mattioli, and Stefano Pieralli. In addition, we thank Federico Sassoli for his invaluable assistance on this research project. Finally, we thank Professor Anthony R. D'Augelli for his valuable comments on this manuscript.

Funding

This research was supported by the Italian Minister of Labour and Social Policies project grant entitled “Pratiche Positive. Interventi di contrasto alla discriminazione e all'esclusione in ambito sociosanitario dei pazienti LGBT con infezione da HIV” (ai sensi della L. 383/2000 - Art. 12 - Comma 3 - Lettera F – Anno Finanziario 2011) in collaboration with Arcigay - Italian Lesbian Gay Association.