Perception of serophobia among gay men living with HIV

Background: Serophobia or HIV-related stigma is prevalent. In populations that are historically and socially marginalized, the prevalence tends to be more pronounced. This stigma is associated with several negative outcomes in mental health and impairs regular serological testing and adherence to antiretroviral treatment. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate perceived serophobia among gay men living with HIV/AIDS and to examine associations between serophobia and sociodemographic and clinical variables. Method: This was a cross-sectional study involving 138 gay men with a mean age of 36.12 years. A sociodemographic/clinical questionnaire and the Berger Stigmatization Scale were used. Results: The average total score for perceived stigma was 98.56 on a scale ranging from 40 to 160, pointing to a strong tendency among participants to perceive serophobia, both within the community and internalized. Most respondents (72%-95%) reported efforts to conceal their seropositive status, perceiving disclosure as risky and recognizing that the community ostracizes individuals with HIV. A significant negative correlation was observed between serophobia scores and current age but not with income, education, age at HIV diagnosis, housing situation, employment status, and clinical variables. Conclusions: The high levels of perceived serophobia among gay men with HIV highlight this population need for mental health care strategies. Future studies should evaluate the efficacy of targeted interventions to reduce stigma and public campaigns aimed at destigmatizing the disease.