Perceived Risk, Optimistic Bias, and United Action: A socio-ecological examination of COVID-19 prevention behaviors among sexual minority men.

ABSTRACT

Sexual minority men (SMM) disproportionately experience psychosocial risk factors and comorbid health concerns (e.g., HIV infection) that increase their vulnerability to COVID-19 infection and distress. The current study applied a socioecological approach to the Health Belief model to understand associations among perceived risk, optimistic bias (a perceived lower risk relative to similar others), united action (perceived community capacity for collective action) and COVID-19 behavioral prevention strategies among COVID-19-negative adult cisgender SMM. Participants (n = 859), recruited via a geo-location-based dating app in May 2020, completed an online survey. Results indicated significant interactions between perceived risk and optimistic bias on social distancing (B = -.03, p < .05), and between perceived risk and united action on number of preventive precautions (B = -.01, p < .01) and number of casual sex partners (B= -.20, p < .05). At low and average levels of perceived risk, socioecological constructs were positively associated with behavioral prevention strategies. At average levels of perceived risk and above, united action was negatively associated with number of casual sex partners, demonstrating evidence of the interaction between perception of interpersonal and community factors and perceptions of one's own risk. These findings may help to inform how to mobilize increased engagement in COVID-19 behavioral prevention strategies among cisgender SMM.