Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Peter B. Anderson

Abstract

Asian American men who have sex with men (MSM) are an understudied minority. They are particularly affected by HIV/AIDS and are also impacted by psychosocial and mental health factors of depression, substance use, drug use, and alcohol use/abuse, any of which may lead to suicidal ideation and suicidality. These associations have not been widely studied in this population. The purpose of this quantitative study was to use the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to examine these psychosocial and mental health issues and their association with suicidal ideation, suicidality, and HIV/AIDS infection or diagnosis among Asian American MSM. Due to small sample size and no responses to HIV/AIDS questions in the data set, one of the three RQs was dropped and a gender variable was introduced to increase the sample size and expand the study to include Asian American gays, lesbians and bisexuals. Syndemic theory guided the study. Out of a sample of 2,541 Asian American adults, only 91 self-identified as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Findings from hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis showed that depression was significantly associated with suicidal ideation (OR: 11.08, 95% CI: 1.00–3.19) and suicidality (OR: .09, 95% CI: 0.83–52.45). Positive social change implication of this study may result in increased public health awareness and knowledge, as well as increased interventions for suicidal ideation and suicidality, and increased access to mental health services for Asian American GLB and their families. It may also lead to the development of clinical and public health policies at the community level to reduce health disparities and prevent suicidal ideation/suicidality among this population.

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