Sexual Minority Men Living with HIV's Interest in Yoga vs. MBSR as an Adjunct to an App-Based Positive Affect...

Sexual minority men (SMM) living with HIV experience significant mental health disparities. Studies show positive psychological interventions (PPI) and mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) can have a positive impact on people LWH, however, limited research has explored this among SMM LWH. The current study explores two MBIs (MBSR and yoga) as potential adjuncts to an app-based PPI, which was designed to reduce stress for SMM LWH.

These data are from a sub-study of a proof-of-concept pilot. The pilot enrolled 22 SMM LWH, who used an app-based PPI for 90 days. Following completion of this initial study, participants were invited to participate in a focus group discussion, which explored SMM LWH's interest in MBSR vs. restorative yoga as adjunct programs to the app-based PPI.

A third of participants from the initial study attended the focus group (N=7). All focus group participants were racial minorities (71.4% Black, 14.3% Hispanic/Latino, 14.3% Multiracial), with an average age of 32.14yrs (SD=4.87). When asked about initial interest, most participants said they would prefer restorative yoga over MBSR. In the discussion that followed, three main themes and eleven subthemes emerged, which elucidated SMM LWH's attitudes toward MBI, as well as their perceived barriers and facilitators for both yoga and MBSR.

The study provides insight into racial minority SMM LWH's comparative interest in two MBIs and suggests that yoga may be a feasible adjunct to the app-based PPI. However, inequities regarding access to yoga remain an important issue for SMM LWH and must be addressed.