Dr Anthony Gifford

@giff95.bsky.social

111 Followers 130 Following

I like dancing, running, research, and men. (He/Him) 🏳️‍🌈

Dr Anthony Gifford outside in front of a Nottingham Trent University sign (NTU) looking fabulous in PhD robes and Tudor cap
Anthony stood in full PhD gown outside by an advert for NTU with his face on it.
Email informing me that I have satisfied the criteria for my PhD.
Recruitment poster for a new study Dr Anthony Gifford is launching. Not a top. Not a bottom. I’m looking to speak with gay and bisexual men who identify as ‘sides’ (or feel the term resonates) for a research project on identity, relationships, and wellbeing. It’s a space to reflect on experiences that often go unspoken. 1-to-1 interview (online or in person) Confidential Email anthony.gifford@bcu.ac.uk
Left to right: Prof. Daragh McDermott, Dr Anthony Gifford, Dr Beth Jones Anthony is holding his thesis after just passing his viva.
Anthony is stood next to actress Rosamund Pike with his thesis in hand after she had just signed it.
Abstract from my latest paper: Abstract Background: Despite the clinical efficacy of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV, uptake remains suboptimal among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the United Kingdom (UK). Sustaining progress in the PrEP cascade requires more than biomedical availability; it demands effective, psychologically informed interventions that address persistent barriers. Psychological factors, such as medical mistrust, low PrEP self-efficacy, and identity-related processes, continue to undermine engagement. This study tested whether narrative persuasion and message framing could influence these barriers. Method: A sample of 253 MSM was recruited to participate in an online experiment and completed baseline measures of identity resilience before being randomly allocated to either the gain-framed (N = 122) or loss-framed (N = 124) narrative condition and then completing post-manipulation measures of medical mistrust and PrEP self-efficacy. After excluding 7 cases due to ineligibility, data from 246 participants were analysed using mediation analysis. Results: Participants in the gain-framed condition reported lower medical mistrust than those in the loss-framed condition. Medical mistrust was, in turn, associated with lower PrEP self-efficacy. Identity resilience was associated with lower medical mistrust and higher PrEP self-efficacy. Discussion: These findings provide novel causal evidence that gain-framed health narratives can reduce mistrust and indirectly enhance PrEP self-efficacy. Identity resilience also emerges as a key psychological factor influencing trust and behavioural confidence. Conclusions: Interventions to improve and sustain PrEP uptake should combine gain-framed, narrative-based messaging with strategies to bolster identity resilience. Such approaches may address psychosocial barriers more effectively and promote equitable PrEP uptake among MSM.
Title and abstract of a recently published paper. Psychosocial Profiles of Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) Influencing PrEP Acceptability: A Latent Profile Analysis Despite the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the United Kingdom (UK), uptake among men who have sex with men (MSM) remains inconsistent, signalling a persistent ‘PrEP Gap’. Empirical studies show the important role of psychosocial factors (e.g., stigma, identity, trust in science, and sexual behaviours) in PrEP acceptability and uptake. This study aimed to identify subgroups of MSM in the UK based on psychosocial predictors of PrEP acceptability. A cross-sectional survey of MSM (N = 500) was conducted between June and September 2023. Participants completed validated measures assessing identity resilience, internalised homonegativity, LGBTQ+ connectedness, trust in science, NHS perceptions, HIV stigma, PrEP self-efficacy, condom self-efficacy, sociosexual orientation, perceived HIV risk, and PrEP acceptability. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify distinct subgroups based on these psychosocial dimensions. Four psychosocial profiles were defined: (1) PrEP Ambivalent (15%); (2) PrEP Accepting (36.2%); (3) PrEP Hesitant (37%); and (4) PrEP Rejecting (11.8%). These profiles provide evidence for varied combinations of personal and structural factors influencing PrEP acceptability. PrEP acceptability among MSM in the UK is shaped by distinct psychosocial configurations, influenced by identity, stigma, trust, and perceived risk. These findings highlight the need for differentiated and targeted interventions for enhancing PrEP acceptability based on psychosocial profile. Audience segmentation strategies offer a promising pathway to bridge the awareness-to-engagement gap and address the nuanced barriers facing diverse subgroups within the MSM community. Keywords: LPA; PrEP; MSM; UK; acceptability; uptake
A picture of the first page of my doctoral thesis and a bottle of Bollinger champagne to celebrate
Abstract for the HIV anxiety scale
Title page of my recently published article: Predicting PrEP acceptability and self‐efficacy among men who have sex with men in the UK: The roles of identity resilience, science mistrust, and stigma
Title of a journal article by Gifford et al. Why are PrEP gays always like this… psychosocial influences on UK-based men who have sex with men’s perceptions and use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.