Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Bears and Other Gay Men: A Descriptive Study from Poland

Magdalena Mijas, Karolina Koziara, Andrzej Galbarczyk and Grazyna Jasienska
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Magdalena Mijas: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawinska St., PL 31066 Krakow, Poland
Karolina Koziara: Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Philosophy, Jagiellonian University, 6 Ingardena St., PL 30060 Krakow, Poland
Andrzej Galbarczyk: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawinska St., PL 31066 Krakow, Poland
Grazyna Jasienska: Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 8 Skawinska St., PL 31066 Krakow, Poland

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: A risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increased by multiple factors including psychosocial stress and health behaviors. Sexual minority men who identify as Bears form a subculture distinguished by characteristics associated with increased CVD risk such as elevated stress and high body weight. However, none of the previous studies comprehensively investigated CVD risk in this population. Our study compared Bears ( N = 31) with other gay men ( N = 105) across a wide range of CVD risk factors. Logistic regression and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models were performed to compare both groups concerning behavioral (e.g., physical activity), medical (e.g., self-reported hypertension), and psychosocial (e.g., depressiveness) CVD risk factors. Bears were characterized by older age and higher body mass index (BMI) than the control group. We also observed higher resilience, self-esteem, as well as greater prevalence of self-reported hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia in Bears. None of these differences remained statistically significant after adjusting for age and, in the case of self-reported diagnosis of diabetes, both age and BMI. Our study demonstrates that Bears are characterized by increased CVD risk associated predominantly with older age and higher BMI. Health promotion interventions addressed to this community should be tailored to Bears’ subcultural norms and should encourage a healthier lifestyle instead of weight loss.

Keywords: cardiovascular health; obesity; minority stress; gay men (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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