Prevalence of depression in men who have sex with men (MSM) and association with discriminatory attitudes: A scoping review

Abstract

Men who have sex with men (MSM) face severe discrimination and are at relatively high risk of mental health problems (e.g. depression and anxiety). This review aimed to describe the situation of the depression and association with stigma attitudes in the MSM community. Among 1985 articles searched from the databases, 9 studies in 7 countries on multiple continents between 2015 and 2023 showed depression rates ranging from 11.3% to 55.8%. Stigma acts as a factor in the increased prevalence of depressive symptoms in the MSM community. Therefore, it is necessary to implement culturally appropriate interventions to reduce stigma against the MSM community, as well as consider interventions in the treatment and prevention of depression for MSM during the development process public health policy.