Exploring the psychosocial health of black queer men (BQM)

Current research suggests that black queer men may be disproportionately burdened by depressive distress and anxiety disorders as compared to their white gay and heterosexual counterparts; perhaps principally due to widespread societal and intra-cultural stigma that may lead to chronic stress from discrimination, abuse, and violence mediated through racism, homophobia, and heterosexism. Very little is known about the determinants, onset, and sequelae of depressive distress and anxiety disorders among black queer men (BQM). This study utilizes focus groups to qualitatively explore issues surrounding the mental health status of BQM in an attempt to shed light on potential influencing and determinant factors. Twenty-two self-identified BQM residing in Atlanta, Georgia participated in 2 focus groups – 11 subjects each respectively. Categories that emerged from data analysis include: knowledge/experiences, attitudes/beliefs, societal action/behavior, identity development, relationship functionality, and mental health status. Overarching themes for each category were delineated. This study contributes to early-stage exploration of psychosocial health among this population by formulating preliminary thematic domains, many of which have to some degree been alluded to in the literature for either black populations or MSM populations, but very few for BQM in particular. Findings of this study, in large part corroborate previous studies concerning discrimination, violence, and identity development. Additionally, this study adds new evidence to the scant knowledge base of attitudes, beliefs, relationship dimensions, and mental distress presentation among this population. A particularly key finding concerns the disparate way in which participants described their mental distress compared to men and black populations in general.