The Effect of Religiosity and Legal Inequality on the Prevalence of HIV Infection in American Cities: How Inequality and Support System Bias Create Psychological Trauma and Trigger Failure to Thrive Mechanisms in Out-Group Members

William Kannberg, MSCP

Apr 2021 · William Kannberg

About this ebook

This research employed a meta-analysis of related studies from the United States Census Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, and sociological polling from the Pew and Gallup organizations to investigate the relationship between religiosity and legal bias with the prevalence rates for HIV infections in American cities. Findings from the analysis indicated that HIV infection rates are highest in geographic areas with elevated levels of religiosity, legal inequality, and bias against gay people. The geographic area of the South has the highest levels of religiosity, legal inequality, and bias against gay people, as well as the highest HIV prevalence rates, 73% higher than in any other region of the United States. Conversely, HIV infection rates were lowest in areas with legal equality for gay people and low or no religiosity. The findings of this research point to a causative model of psychopathology manifestation, where religiosity, negative social messages, legal inequality, and support system bias create psychological trauma and trigger a ‘failure to thrive’ mechanism in out-group members that drives high-risk behaviors and elevates HIV infections rates. 

A peer review by five PhDs in the fields of psychology, social sciences and statistics was completed prior to publication.

Statistical review was provided by Robert Ho PhD, author of Handbook of Univariate and Multivariate Data Analysis with IBM SPSS.

This research is available on Google Play to catalyze access to readers outside of academia publications.

About the author

William Kannberg, MSCP is a psychotherapist and researcher specializing in anxiety, depression and addiction.