AUTHOR=Wu Dan , Zhong Xiaoni , Deng Ruibin , Pan Hong , Gao Yuwen , Lin Bing , Tang Xian , Dai Jianghong , Liang Hao , Huang Ailong 

TITLE=Study on anxiety and depression of men who have sex with men: An application of group-based trajectory model

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.857203

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.857203

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=The prevalence of anxiety and depression are high among men who have sex with men (MSM), but limited studies focus on their development trends. This study examined the prevalence and influencing factors of anxiety and depression in HIV-negative MSM. 711 subjects were followed up every 24 weeks for 96 weeks. Group-based trajectory model was used to identify different development trends and logistic regression model was used to explore the influencing factors of different trajectories. Low, moderate, and high anxiety groups accounted for 32.56%, 56.12% and 11.32%; low, high depression groups accounted for 73.90% and 26.10%. High anxiety was associated with lower education degree, little HIV-related knowledge and other characteristics (more agreed that “HIV is a threat to me/my family”, had high frequency of seeking sexual partners through Internet, had a history of STD, felt discriminated against by doctors). High depression was associated with lower education degree, little HIV-related knowledge, bisexual and the following characteristics: felt that HIV infection rate of MSM around was high, more agreed that “HIV is a threat to me/my family”, had high frequency of seeking sexual partners through Internet and alcohol drinking, had a history of STD, felt being discriminated against by doctors and others. There is a heterogeneity in the development trends of anxiety and depression. We need strengthen intervention on mental health of MSM, especially those with high anxiety and depression development trends.