Stigma and discrimination experiences of HIV-positive men who have sex with men in Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract Since the primary mode of HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa is heterosexual, research focusing on the sexual behaviour of men who have sex with men (MSM) is scant. Currently it is unknown how many people living with HIV in South Africa are MSM and there is even less known about the stigmatisation and discrimination of HIV-positive MSM. The current study examined the stigma and discrimination experiences of MSM living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Anonymous venue-based surveys were collected from 92 HIV-positive MSM and 330 HIV-positive men who only reported sex with women (MSW). Internalised stigma was high among all HIV-positive men who took part in the survey, with 56% of men reporting that they concealed their HIV status from others. HIV-positive MSM reported experiencing greater social isolation and discrimination resulting from being HIV-positive, including loss of housing or employment due to their HIV status, however these differences were not significant. Mental health interventions, as well as structural changes for protection against discrimination, are needed for HIV-positive South African MSM.

• Publication year

  2008

• Venue

  AIDS Care

• Publication date

  2008-09-29

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Sociology

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1080/09540120701842720PMID 18608067PMCID 3320098
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Sexual risk, substance use, and psychological distress in HIV-positive gay and bisexual men who also inject drugs

  2005cited by this paper
• HIV prevalence and risk behaviors among men who have sex with men and inject drugs in San Francisco

  2005cited by this paper
• HIV Testing and Stigma among Black South African MSM

  2005cited by this paper
• Internalized Stigma Among People Living with HIV-AIDS

  2002cited by this paper
• Report on the 13th International AIDS Conference.

  2000cited by this paper
• HIV/AIDS among men who have sex with men and inject drugs--United States, 1985-1998.

  2000cited by this paper
• The relationship between social support and health in gay men with HIV/AIDS: an integrative review.

  1999cited by this paper
• An association between HIV‐1 subtypes and mode of transmission in Cape Town, South Africa

  1997cited by this paper
• AIDS, lay perceptions of a group of gay men

  1990cited by this paper

• Adaptation of Inuka coaching problem-solving therapy to support mental health and HIV medication adherence among status-neutral men who have sex with men in South Africa.

  2025cites this paper
• Multiple marginalized identities and internalized HIV stigma among people living with HIV in South Florida: An intersectional approach

  2025cites this paper
• Marriage and Steady Relationships with Women in Men Who Have Sex with Men in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Mixed-Method Systematic Review and Meta-analyses

  2025cites this paper
• Drivers, Facilitators, and Impacts of Stigma Among Youth Living with HIV in Lima, Peru

  2025cites this paper
• Risk factors for PrEP and ART medication adherence challenges in cis-gender South African men who have sex with men in Johannesburg and Pretoria

  2025cites this paper
• Change targets, messaging, and content delivery for a community-engaged social media campaign addressing HIV-related stigma in Peru: a qualitative study

  2025cites this paper
• South African Pentecostalism's impact on the spiritual and general well-being of MSM individuals

  2025cites this paper
• Change targets, messaging, and content delivery for a community-engaged social media campaign addressing HIV-related stigma in Peru: a qualitative study

  2025cites this paper
• Development and feasibility of the peer and nurse-led HIV Self-Testing Education and Promotion (STEP) intervention among social networks of men in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: application of the ADAPT-ITT model

  2024cites this paper
• Healthcare worker perspectives on HIV status sharing intervention components for partnered, Black sexual minority men in South Africa

  2024cites this paper
• Completed suicide risk factors among people living with HIV in Hunan Province identified through a psychological autopsy case–control study

  2024cites this paper
• Scoping review of HIV-related intersectional stigma among sexual and gender minorities in sub-Saharan Africa

  2024cites this paper
• Sexual behaviours and risk with women in MSM in sub-Saharan Africa

  2024cites this paper
• Increased Stigma, and Physical and Sexual Violence Against Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis Analyzing Social and Structural Barriers to HIV Testing and Coping Behaviors

  2024cites this paper
• Violence Victimization and Depressive Symptoms Among a Sub-Sample of Sexual and Gender Minority Adults in a Population-Based South African Study

  2024cites this paper
• Examining the Impact of Social Support Networks in Mitigating the Negative Effects of Social Determinants of Health on Msm in South Africa

  2024cites this paper
• Knowledge about HIV and Stigmatizing Attitudes of Medical Students in Saudi Arabia Towards Patients with HIV/AIDS: A Cross-Sectional Nationwide Study.

  2024cites this paper
• HIV Treatment and Mental Health Outcomes Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men Living With HIV in a Pilot Multicomponent Intervention in Guatemala City

  2023cites this paper
• Assessing the association of stigma and HIV service and prevention uptake among men who have sex with men and transgender women in South Africa

  2023cites this paper
• Integrated Care as a Model for Interprofessional Disease Management and the Benefits for People Living with HIV/AIDS

  2023cites this paper
• Multiple Stigmas and Their Dimensions: The Mediating Role of Self-compassion in Reduced Resilience

  2023cites this paper
• Perspectives on linkage to care for patients diagnosed with HIV: A qualitative study at a rural health center in South Western Uganda

  2022cites this paper
• Trends in HIV testing, the treatment cascade, and HIV incidence among men who have sex with men in Africa: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis

  2022cites this paper
• Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake, adherence, and adverse events among South African men who have sex with men and transgender women

  2022cites this paper
• Perceptions and Experiences of Males who have Sex with Men Regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health Services in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

  2022cites this paper
• Global assessment of existing HIV and key population stigma indicators: A data mapping exercise to inform country-level stigma measurement

  2022influential citation
• HIV Status Disclosure and Associated Characteristics Among HIV-Positive MSM Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy in Jinan, China

  2022cites this paper
• Intersectional Stigma and HIV Continuum Outcomes Among Sexual Minority Men in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Conceptual Framework.

  2022cites this paper
• Integrating HIV and mental health interventions to address a global syndemic among men who have sex with men

  2022cites this paper
• Syndemic Profiles and Sexual Minority Men’s HIV-Risk Behavior: A Latent Class Analysis

  2021cites this paper
• Moral barriers to HIV prevention and care for gay and bisexual men: Challenges in times of conservatism in Brazil.

  2021cites this paper
• Intersectional stigma and its impact on HIV prevention and care among MSM and WSW in sub-Saharan African countries: a protocol for a scoping review

  2021cites this paper
• Geographical Disparities in HIV Seroprevalence Among Men Who Have Sex with Men and People Who Inject Drugs in Nigeria: Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis

  2021cites this paper
• Myths, misconceptions, othering and stigmatizing responses to Covid-19 in South Africa: A rapid qualitative assessment

  2020cites this paper
• Resilience Moderated the Predictive Effect of Dual Stigma on Distress Among Chinese Newly Diagnosed HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex With Men.

  2020cites this paper
• HIV Status Disclosure and Sexual Transmission Risks among People who are Living with HIV and Receiving Treatment for Non-HIV Sexually Transmitted Infections, Cape Town, South Africa.

  2020cites this paper
• A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Shikamana Intervention to Promote Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in Kenya: Feasibility, Acceptability, Safety and Initial Effect Size

  2020cites this paper
• Aspects associated with sexualised drug use among gay men and other men who have sex with men: a cross-sectional study from the Latin America MSM Internet Survey 2018 - Chile.

  2020cites this paper
• ‘My Tablets are on Top of the Fridge’: The Roles of Relationship Desire and Medical Mistrust in ART Adherence for HIV-Positive MSM and Transgender Women Living in Rural South Africa

  2019cites this paper
• The relationship between stigma, religiosity, and the quality of life of HIV-positive MSM in Medan, Indonesia.

  2019cites this paper
• Stigmatization and discrimination towards people living with HIV/AIDS attending antiretroviral clinic in a centre of excellence in HIV care in India

  2019cites this paper
• Paid sex among men in sub-Saharan Africa: Analysis of the demographic and health survey

  2019cites this paper
• Exploring the narratives of HIV status disclosure by people living with HIV: The social constructionist approach

  2019cites this paper
• Gender constructions in Africa: A systematic review of research findings from the informal support networks of abused women

  2019cites this paper
• A Cross-sectional Study to Analyze the Social, Sexual, and Reproductive Challenges among Serodiscordant Couples

  2019cites this paper
• Age, Sex, Race, Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation: Intersectionality of Marginalized-Group Identities and Enacted HIV-Related Stigma Among People Living with HIV in Florida

  2019cites this paper
• HIV testing and engagement with the HIV treatment cascade among men who have sex with men in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

  2019cites this paper
• “There is not a safe space where they can find themselves to be free”: (Un)safe spaces and the promotion of queer visibilities among township males who have sex with males (MSM) in Cape Town, South Africa

  2018influential citation
• Barriers, Motivators, and Facilitators to Engagement in HIV Care Among HIV-Infected Ghanaian Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM)

  2018cites this paper
• HIV care engagement and ART adherence among Kenyan gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men: a multi-level model informed by qualitative research

  2018cites this paper
• Violence, abuse and discrimination: key factors militating against control of HIV/AIDS among the LGBTI sector

  2018cites this paper
• Modernien hoitomenetelmien toimintamekanismit HIV-tyypin 1 hoidossa

  2018cites this paper
• Exploring the use of Healthcare Services and Antiretroviral Therapy among HIV Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in Nigeria: A Qualitative Study

  2017cites this paper
• Title: The impact of HIV stigma in accessing Sexual Health Services among black sub- Sahara African woman and gay men: A Systematic Literature Review

  2017cites this paper
• Acting within an increasingly confined space: A qualitative study of sexual behaviours and healthcare needs among men who have sex with men in a provincial Tanzanian city

  2017cites this paper
• Perceptions of HIV‐Related Stigma in Portugal Among MSM With HIV Infection and an Undetectable Viral Load

  2017cites this paper
• Health Provider Views on Improving Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Coastal Kenya

  2017cites this paper
• Substance Use and HIV Risk Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Africa: A Systematic Review

  2017cites this paper
• The impact of HIV stigma in accessing sexual health services among black sub-Sahara African woman and gay men: a systematic literature review

  2017cites this paper
• Factors Associated With Prevalent HIV Infection Among Kenyan MSM: The Anza Mapema Study

  2017cites this paper
• Can promoting romantic relationship quality help gay and bisexual men better face HIV stigma

  2017cites this paper
• HIV, blame and shame: internalised HIV stigma among South African adolescents living with HIV

  2017influential citation
• Sexual and Reproductive Health needs Of LGBT.

  2017cites this paper
• Sub-Saharan African immigrants living with HIV in Canada: a narrative inquiry

  2016cites this paper
• Barriers, Motivators, Facilitators Related To Engagement In Hiv Care Among Ghanaian Men Who Have Sex With Men (msm) Living With Hiv: A Qualitative Study

  2016cites this paper
• Intragroup Stigma Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Data Extraction from Craigslist Ads in 11 Cities in the United States

  2016cites this paper
• Multi-level Correlates of Safer Conception Methods Awareness and Attitudes Among Ugandan HIV Clients with Fertility Intentions.

  2016cites this paper
• An Assessment of Health Interventions Required to Prevent the Transmission of HIV Infection Among Men Having Sex with Men in Bujumbura, Burundi

  2016cites this paper
• Southern African guidelines on the safe use of pre-exposure prophylaxis in persons at risk of acquiring HIV-1 infection

  2016cites this paper
• MSM's Versus Health Care Providers’ Perceptions of Barriers to Uptake of HIV/AIDS-Related Interventions: Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative and Quantitative Evidence

  2016cites this paper
• Assessing knowledge, attitudes and practices of KwaZulNatal health professionals towards men who have sex with men (MSM) : exploring access to mainstream public healthcare services.

  2016cites this paper
• HIV Risk Among Men Who Have Sex With Men, Women Who Have Sex With Women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Populations in South Africa: A Mini-Review

  2016cites this paper
• Social Determinants of HIV Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Cape Town

  2016cites this paper
• Exploring HIV-related stigma among HIV-infected men who have sex with men in Beijing, China: a correlation study

  2016cites this paper
• Disclosure of HIV Serostatus and Sexual Orientation Among HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men in China

  2016cites this paper
• Social Determinants of HIV Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in Cape Town

  2016cites this paper
• ‘We keep her status to ourselves’: Experiences of stigma and discrimination among HIV-discordant couples in South Africa, Tanzania and Ukraine

  2015cites this paper
• Predictors of internalised HIV-related stigma: a systematic review of studies in sub-Saharan Africa

  2015influential citation
• Our Village Is Watching: Sociocultural and Attitudinal Factors Related to HIV Sexual Risk Behaviors among Black South African Men Who Have Sex with Men

  2015cites this paper
• HIV i druge polno prenosive infekcije u populaciji muškaraca koji imaju seks sa muškarcima u Bosni i Hercegovini

  2015cites this paper
• ‘They think that gays have money’: gender identity and transactional sex among Black men who have sex with men in four South African townships

  2015cites this paper
• Perception of Patients With HIV/AIDS From Stigma and Discrimination

  2015cites this paper
• HIV/AIDS-Related Stigma and Discrimination in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

  2014cites this paper
• Effectiveness of Behavior Change Communications for Reducing Transmission Risks Among People Living with HIV in 6 Countries in Central America

  2014cites this paper
• Perceptions about the acceptability and prevalence of HIV testing and factors influencing them in different communities in South Africa

  2014cites this paper
• Minority Stress in the Lives of Men Who Have Sex With Men in Cape Town, South Africa

  2014cites this paper
• Attitudes of Gatekeepers Towards Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health in Ghana

  2014cites this paper
• Money, power and HIV: economic influences and HIV among men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa.

  2014cites this paper
• HIV Prevention for MSM

  2014cites this paper
• Factors encouraging or discouraging men in the informal sector to attend HIV counselling and testing (HCT) in South Africa : a case study of Pretoria

  2014cites this paper
• Exploring barriers and enablers to ARV treatment adherence for men who have sex with men

  2014cites this paper
• Explaining the hindering factors for accepting the disease, a barrier for the HIV/AIDS patients to seek treatment: A qualitative study

  2014cites this paper
• An integrated model of HIV/AIDS testing behaviour in the construction industry

  2014cites this paper
• A Narrative Inquiry into the Experiences of sub-Saharan African Immigrants Living with HIV in Alberta, Canada

  2014cites this paper
• The South African Marang men's project

  2014cites this paper
• Building the evidence base for urgent action: HIV epidemiology and innovative programming for men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa

  2013influential citation
• The provider perception inventory: Psychometrics of a scale designed to measure provider stigma about HIV, substance abuse, and MSM behavior

  2013cites this paper
• Attitudes Toward Couples-Based HIV Counseling and Testing Among MSM in Cape Town, South Africa

  2013cites this paper
• Chapter 3 Gender and AIDS Stigma

  2013cites this paper
• An exploration into the role of depression and self-efficacy on township men who have sex with men's ability to engage in safer sexual practices

  2013cites this paper