Association between sexual orientation and depression among male patients with HIV: a cross-sectional study
Abstract
BackgroundDepression is a prevalent comorbidity among people living with HIV (PLWH) and is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Sexual minority men may face unique psychosocial stressors that increase vulnerability to depression. This study aimed to investigate the association between sexual orientation and depression among male patients with HIV in Suqian, China.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 163 male HIV-positive patients. Sexual orientation was self-reported as heterosexuality or homosexuality. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), analyzed both as a continuous variable and as a categorical variable (PHQ-9 ≥ 10 indicating depression). Four multivariable regression models were constructed with progressively adjusted covariates: Model 1 (unadjusted), Model 2 (sociodemographic factors), Model 3 (lifestyle factors), and Model 4 (clinical factors).ResultsAmong 163 participants, 91 (55.8%) identified as heterosexual and 72 (44.2%) as homosexual. Homosexual participants were significantly older (63.85 ± 12.63 vs. 46.53 ± 10.07 years) and had higher depression prevalence (22.2% vs. 11.0%). In the fully adjusted model (Model 4), homosexuality was significantly associated with increased odds of depression (OR = 4.45, 95% CI: 1.43–15.58, p = 0.013). The association remained consistently positive across all models, though statistical significance for the continuous PHQ-9 outcome was marginal (β = 1.84, 95% CI: −0.10 to 3.78, p = 0.063).ConclusionHomosexual orientation is independently associated with higher depression risk among male HIV patients, highlighting the need for tailored mental health screening and interventions for sexual minority men in HIV care settings.
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BibTeX
@article{wen2026association,
title = {{Association between sexual orientation and depression among male patients with HIV: a cross-sectional study}},
author = {Jingli Wen and Shishi Zhou and Kai Li and Zuoling Tang and Youde Yan and Zhenjiang Zhang},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936667},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936667},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Association between sexual orientation and depression among male patients with HIV: a cross-sectional study
AU - Jingli Wen
AU - Shishi Zhou
AU - Kai Li
AU - Zuoling Tang
AU - Youde Yan
AU - Zhenjiang Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/05
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936667
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1936667
AB - BackgroundDepression is a prevalent comorbidity among people living with HIV (PLWH) and is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Sexual minority men may face unique psychosocial stressors that increase vulnerability to depression. This study aimed to investigate the association between sexual orientation and depression among male patients with HIV in Suqian, China.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 163 male HIV-positive patients. Sexual orientation was self-reported as heterosexuality or homosexuality. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), analyzed both as a continuous variable and as a categorical variable (PHQ-9 ≥ 10 indicating depression). Four multivariable regression models were constructed with progressively adjusted covariates: Model 1 (unadjusted), Model 2 (sociodemographic factors), Model 3 (lifestyle factors), and Model 4 (clinical factors).ResultsAmong 163 participants, 91 (55.8%) identified as heterosexual and 72 (44.2%) as homosexual. Homosexual participants were significantly older (63.85 ± 12.63 vs. 46.53 ± 10.07 years) and had higher depression prevalence (22.2% vs. 11.0%). In the fully adjusted model (Model 4), homosexuality was significantly associated with increased odds of depression (OR = 4.45, 95% CI: 1.43–15.58, p = 0.013). The association remained consistently positive across all models, though statistical significance for the continuous PHQ-9 outcome was marginal (β = 1.84, 95% CI: −0.10 to 3.78, p = 0.063).ConclusionHomosexual orientation is independently associated with higher depression risk among male HIV patients, highlighting the need for tailored mental health screening and interventions for sexual minority men in HIV care settings.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -