Jay Irwin | University of Nebraska at Omaha (original) (raw)
Papers by Jay Irwin
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
Individuals who identify as transgender and gender diverse (TGD) are presenting at mental health ... more Individuals who identify as transgender and gender diverse (TGD) are presenting at mental health clinicians' offices with increasing frequency. Many TGD clients are seeking care related to affirming their gender identity but also may present with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, or other problems forwhich a clinician may commonly provide services. Some clinicians may hesitate to accept TGD clients into their practice if they have little specialized training to work with this population in an affirming manner, especially in more underserved areas where a generalist practice is the norm. Numerous professional associations and experts have developed guidelines for affirmative behavioral health care for TGD people. However, what is needed are community-informed recommendations to bridge from the official guidelines to clinicians' insession activities. The Trans Collaborations Practice Adaptations for Psychological Interventions for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults are derived from iterative interviews with TGD community members and affirming mental health clinicians in the Central United States. The 12 practice adaptations are intended to guide clinicians to adapt their usual treatment approach to be TGD affirming, especially in underserved and rural areas. The practice adaptations cover numerous aspects of practice including the office setting and paperwork, understanding gender identity and incorporating it into the case conceptualization, therapist's selfawareness, and referrals. The Trans Collaborations Practice Adaptations will help clinicians work confidently and competently with adult TGD clients, regardless of the presenting problem, to ensure TGD communities receive the best interventions for their behavioral health concerns. Public Significance Statement This paper provides several recommendations for mental health clinicians to adapt their therapeutic approach for affirming services with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adult clients. The adaptations are accompanied by practical guidance for clinicians about how to work with TGD clients in the therapy room. The recommendations are particularly applicable for clinicians working in geographic locations with limited resources for TGD communities.
Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2019
The sexual satisfaction of couples during pregnancy is an under-researched area of study. Several... more The sexual satisfaction of couples during pregnancy is an under-researched area of study. Several limitations exist within the current literature, including a lack of inquiry into attitudes about sex during pregnancy, analysis of the relationship between sexual satisfaction and sexual behaviors, and analysis of dyadic interactions within the couple. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between attitudes toward having sex during pregnancy, various sexual behaviors, and sexual satisfaction among expectant couples via multilevel structural equation modeling. Recruitment focused on mixedgender monogamous couples where the pregnant individual was between 8 and 12 weeks of gestation, and both partners were soon-to-be first time parents. Touching, hugging, or holding, kissing, vaginal and oral sex, and rubbing each other's genitals were all common behaviors among the 116 couples in the current investigation. Anal sex and sex toy use were less common, but far from absent. According to our model, attitudes toward having sex during pregnancy significantly predicted sexual satisfaction by operating through specific sexual behaviors: kissing, vaginal fingering, and vaginal intercourse, while use of a toy alone and use of a toy with partner were independent predictors of sexual satisfaction. Gender had a direct relationship with satisfaction (men were more satisfied), as well as indirect relationship with satisfaction through an interaction with vaginal fingering and use of a sex toy alone. While multiple past month sexual behaviors were likely to increase satisfaction among pregnant and non-expectant couples alike, this improvement might depend on which behaviors are included and the gender of the individual.
Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews, 2014
are inseparable. Pechlaner masterfully describes the double standards and contradictions in the D... more are inseparable. Pechlaner masterfully describes the double standards and contradictions in the David-versus-Goliath cases. As described in the opening paragraph of this review, Pechlaner seems to be using the Marxian concept of expropriation to describe the capitalist seizure of agricultural seed supplies. However, rather than acknowledge that connection, she instead uses the one reference to Marx in the book to claim a distinction. ‘‘The term ‘expropriationism’ differs from its conventional legal and Marxist usage of expropriation conducted by a public body ostensibly for public good’’ (p. 26). Pechlaner certainly is defining expropriation as something other than the current legal definition of seizing property for the public good. But Marx did not define it that way. Instead, Pechlaner follows in the Marxian tradition of describing the underlying logic of capitalism and the ways that logic manifests in economic and social arrangements. Pechlaner’s decision to engage the debates from the 1980s on how agriculture is different from manufacturing, because of the reliance on natural processes in agriculture, is helpful only to a point. Those debates documented the myriad ways that capital accumulation can occur, even in a non-wagelabor process. However, assuming the uniqueness of smallholder farming in the United States and Canada reifies wage-labor as the measure of industrialism capitalism. Farmers in the United States and Canada have been petty capitalist enterprises at least since the early 1900s. And the demise of small farming as a primary source of family income is not so different from the story of big-box retail eliminating mom-and-pop retail stores or the demise of local banks in the face of the rise of too-big-to-fail banks. Furthermore, portraying farmers as outside of industrial capitalism is simply not accurate. According to a recent analysis by the United States Census of Agriculture, around 12 percent of large farms (annual sales exceeding $250,000) account for 84 percent of the value of agricultural production (Hoppe and Banker 2010:iv). Farm operators may not be wage laborers, but it is misleading to portray them as something other than capitalist firms that supply raw materials to a thoroughly industrialized and capitalistic agricultural system. None of this takes away from the basic narrative and argument of the book, which is very valuable and timely. News headlines regularly alert us to cases of farmers fighting agribusinesses over seed patents. As recently as May 13, 2013, the United States Supreme Court sided again with Monsanto in a case against a farmer who planted soybeans that he had purchased as grain. Pechlaner gives the reader the tools to make sense of the dynamics behind such headlines. In that sense, the book is useful for the general public. It might even suit a course on intellectual property law. The book is also useful for demonstrating how expropriation is occurring in the twenty-first century, over 100 years after Marx explained that process. Therefore, it would be valuable on an agriculture and food sociology syllabus or a classical theory syllabus. In fact, I just recently added it to my classical theory syllabus.
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society, 2014
Background: The promotion of monogamous relationships has been recognized as a feasible strategy ... more Background: The promotion of monogamous relationships has been recognized as a feasible strategy reducing the risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI). This strategy presents challenges for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) couples who often lack the option of legally recognized relationships. This study examined differences in perceived risk, testing, and diagnosis of HIV/STI among married, exclusively partnered, and non-partnered LGBT persons. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was utilized to develop an online anonymous survey. Participants (N=770) were recruited via advertisements, press releases, and listserves. Participants represented western Iowa (same-sex partnership recognition) and Nebraska (no same-sex partnership recognition). Results: No differences were found among groups for HIV and STI diagnosis and HIV testing. Testing for STIs other than HIV was significant across all groups, X2 (2, N=748)=13.486, p
Journal of Health Psychology, 2007
Suicide ideation is a sensitive indicator of personal well-being. While ideation occurs in roughl... more Suicide ideation is a sensitive indicator of personal well-being. While ideation occurs in roughly 3 percent of the US population annually, in this study rates are 10 times higher. This article explores the role of social capital in mediating negative life circumstances on ideation for a sample of 161 homeless adults in a mid-sized Southern US metropolitan area. Our results imply that social capital does not function the same way for homeless persons as it does for the general population. This finding supports growing evidence that social capital's much touted benefits for personal well-being may not apply to disadvantaged populations.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 2010
Research has demonstrated a high frequency and intensity of alcohol use among lesbian women. This... more Research has demonstrated a high frequency and intensity of alcohol use among lesbian women. This work explores age differences in risk factors for problematic alcohol use among selfidentifi ed Southern lesbians. Risk factors of interest include depression, general stress, and three measures of sexual minority stress (i.e., experiences of discrimination, lesbian/gay-related stigma, and internalized homophobia). Method: We analyze data from the Lesbian Social Life study, which recruited 1,141 self-identifi ed Southern lesbians for participation in an anonymous Web-based survey. We present results from a series of regression models predicting scores on the CAGE scale, a self-reported measure of problematic alcohol use. Results are reported separately by age group (19-29, 30-49, ≥50). Results: Frequent and intense alcohol use was most common among lesbian women ages 19-29. Depression and stress were the most consistent psychosocial correlates of problematic alcohol use, although these patterns varied by age. Each of the minority stress measures was associated with problematic alcohol use, although no clear age-related pattern appeared. Conclusions: Our fi ndings suggest that depression and stress are strong predictors of problematic alcohol use among lesbians, which is comparable to previous fi ndings in heterosexual populations. Additional research is needed to understand how the association between sexual minority stress and problematic alcohol use changes across the life course.
International Journal of Transgenderism, 2017
ABSTRACT Background: Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals experience more discrimina... more ABSTRACT Background: Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals experience more discrimination than their cisgender peers, and this discrimination can be associated with poorer mental health. This study used the gender minority stress model as a framework to examine the relationship among gender-related stressors and resilience factors and mental health outcomes. The study particularly aimed to increase knowledge of the gender-nonconforming population. Methods: A community sample of 83 individuals that identify as a gender different than the sex assigned to them at birth completed an online survey. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience measure was used to assess distal and proximal stressors and resilience factors. Results: The median CES-D and BAI scores were 16 and 13, respectively. Forty percent had a history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), 75% had experienced suicidal ideation, and 45% had attempted suicide. Proximal stress was found to be a positive predictor of depressive symptoms. Resilience was a weak negative predictor of anxiety symptoms. Distal stress was a positive predictor of suicide attempts, and resilience factors and hormone use were marginal negative predictors of suicide attempt. Trans women were significantly less likely to have engaged in NSSI, but had a significantly higher proximal stress score than trans men and gender-nonconforming individuals. Conclusion: Our study found high rates of mental health problems in the trans and gender-nonconforming sample. Our findings in part support the gender minority stress model, with gender-related stress predicting certain mental health problems and resilience being a negative predictor. Overall, gender-nonconforming individuals have had similar experiences and mental health findings as transgender individuals.
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society, 2014
The health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, including the... more The health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, including their stress experiences, is a growing field of study. This entry defines LGBT identities and summarizes the forms of stress that LGBT people are likely to experience in their lives. Evidence shows that LGBT individuals experience a wide variety of stressors, as well as stressors that are distinct to sexual and gender minority members. These stressors perpetuate LGBT mental and physical health disparities, such as suicidal behaviors, substance abuse, and depression. Limitations of the current research include a lack of inclusion of bisexuals and transgender individuals, as well as a reliance on large metropolitan areas for sample selection. Keywords: gay and lesbian studies; gender; sexuality; stress
Transgender Health, 2016
This study assessed within a Midwestern LGBT population whether, and the extent to which, transge... more This study assessed within a Midwestern LGBT population whether, and the extent to which, transgender identity was associated with elevated odds of reported discrimination, depression symptoms, and suicide attempts. Methods: Based on survey data collected online from respondents who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender persons over the age of 19 in Nebraska in 2010, this study performed bivariate t-or chisquare tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine differences in reported discrimination, depression symptoms, suicide attempts, and self-acceptance of LGBT identity between 91 transgender and 676 nontransgender respondents. Results: After controlling for the effects of selected confounders, transgender identity was associated with higher odds of reported discrimination (OR = 2.63, p < 0.01), depression symptoms (OR = 2.33, p < 0.05), and attempted suicides (OR = 2.59, p < 0.01) when compared with nontransgender individuals. Self-acceptance of LGBT identity was associated with substantially lower odds of reporting depression symptoms (OR = 0.46, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Relative to nontransgender LGB individuals, transgender individuals were more likely to report discrimination, depression symptoms, and attempted suicides. Lack of self-acceptance of LGBT identity was associated with depression symptoms among transgender individuals.
LGBT Health, 2015
Purpose: Researchers have documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people h... more Purpose: Researchers have documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have a higher proportion of tobacco use as compared to general population smoking rates. This study examined the relationships between tobacco use and social determinants of health in a sample of self-identifying LGBT people who spend time in Nebraska. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was used to develop an online survey to assess the physical, mental, social, and sexual health of LGBT populations who live, work, or play in Nebraska. Chisquared and logistic regression analyses explored the use of tobacco among respondents. Results: Of the 770 people who completed the survey, 763 respondents completed questions about smoking status. The prevalence of current smoking among these 763 respondents was 26.47%. Some LGBT-specific social determinants of health had significant relationships to smoking status. However, after controlling for known risk factors of smoking in logistic regression models, these variables were not related to smoking status. Conclusions: This study shows that there is a significant relationship between smoking and several general social determinants of health, including employment status, education, and income as well as binge drinking. Limitations include lack of adequate survey respondents to divide subgroups of LGBT individuals and inherent limitations of convenience sampling, which may not allow for an accurate representation of the situation faced by LGBT in Nebraska. In addition to this, the list of LGBT-specific determinants of health used in the survey may not be exhaustive, and there may be additional factors facing LGBT individuals. Public health professionals can use this information in designing smoking reduction campaigns for LGBT populations in Nebraska and culturally similar regions of the United States. These programs and interventions may want to consider a more holistic approach to smoking cessation grounded in the social-ecological model.
Background: HIV/AIDS stigma has been widely studied and well documented in the United States and ... more Background: HIV/AIDS stigma has been widely studied and well documented in the United States and worldwide. Stigma remains a major structural barrier to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, particularly within racial minority populations. The purpose of this study was to measure HIV/AIDS-related comfort and attitudes as indicators of stigma among congregation members in predominately African American faith-based organizations (FBOs) that participated in Project FAITH (Fostering AIDS Initiative that Heal), a statewide stigma reduction and HIV/AIDS prevention project in a southeastern state. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to congregants from FBOs that participated in Project FAITH. Likert-type scales were utilized to measure HIV/AIDS-related attitudes and comfort. Independent variables included gender, age, education level, and frequency of church attendance. Difference of means test, ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc analyses were conducted to determine d...
Background: Sexual orientation may influence the type of specific screenings recommended by healt... more Background: Sexual orientation may influence the type of specific screenings recommended by health care providers (HCP). This study examined gay men and bisexual men and women's disclosure of sexual orientation to their HCP to see if any differences could be seen in HIV and STD testing behaviors. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was utilized to develop an online anonymous survey. Participants (N=500) were recruited via advertisements, press releases, fliers, and e-mail listserves. Participants were individuals who lived, worked, or "played" in Nebraska. Chi-squared analyses were conducted, using PASW 18.0. Results: Gay men who were out to their HCP were more likely to have been tested in the last year for STDs, χ2(1,n=310)=8.22, p≤.00, and ever for HIV, χ2(1,n=316)=25.9, p≤.00. Similar results for bisexual women were found for ever having had an HIV test, χ2(2,n=62)=4.23, p=.04. No significant differences for bisexual men were found. Conclusio...
Background: Many Midwestern states and municipalities do not have employment non-discrimination p... more Background: Many Midwestern states and municipalities do not have employment non-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT) persons. In February 2012, an ordinance to create job discrimination protections for LGBT persons was re-introduced to a Midwestern city council in the largest city in the state. Program Description: A research collaborative had recently conducted a community-based participatory research project to assess the health of the LGBT community. Utilizing local data, the team prepared an addendum to the original community report generated by the study on experienced employment-related discrimination. Of the 770 respondents, 412 (53.3%) were from the city of interest. Many respondents indicated, due to their LGBT identity, having been discriminated against in a job at least once (n = 132, 32.7%), treated unfairly by an employer, boss or supervisor (n = 121, 30.1%) and being treated unfairly by coworkers (n = 137, 33.9%). Key among ...
Purpose: Previous research has documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) peo... more Purpose: Previous research has documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have a higher proportion of tobacco use when compared to their non-LGBT counterpart. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between tobacco use and the social determinants of health in a sample of self-identifying LGBT people who live, work, or play in Nebraska. Methods: A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and tools were used to develop an online survey to assess the physical, mental, social, and sexual health of LGBT populations who live, work, or play in Nebraska. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses explored the use of tobacco among respondents. Results: Rate of current smoking among 756 respondents was 26.1%. Some LGBT-specific social determinants of health had significant relationships to smoking status. However, after controlling for known risk factors of smoking in logistic regression models, these variables were found to be unrel...
Background: Previous research conducted in the Midwest shows that self-acceptance of sexual/gende... more Background: Previous research conducted in the Midwest shows that self-acceptance of sexual/gender identity (i.e. internalized homophobia) has a significant impact on the mental and physical health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals. This research has taken place in large urban areas; little is known about how self-acceptance affects the health of LGBT individuals living in predominantly rural and socially conservative settings. Using STD diagnosis history and work absenteeism due to mental health reasons as proxies for physical and mental well-being, this study explored how self-acceptance is related to the health of a non-clinical sample of LGBT Nebraskans. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was utilized to develop an anonymous survey. Participants (N=789) were recruited via advertisements and press releases in local media, fliers at LGBT-friendly venues and events, and via e-mail. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were run in PAS...
Women's Health Issues, 2010
Purpose. Lesbian women are more likely to experience negative physical and mental health outcomes... more Purpose. Lesbian women are more likely to experience negative physical and mental health outcomes compared with heterosexual women, although most research on this population has relied on small convenience samples. This study compared health behaviors and health care utilization among lesbian women living in the South to representative subsamples of women from the general population. Methods. We conducted a Web-based survey of 1,141 self-identified lesbian women aged 19 and older living in the South. We compared descriptive results from our study to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We also calculated adjusted logistic regression models to further explore correlates of Southern lesbian women's physical and mental health. Main Findings. Southern lesbians were less likely to be in poor physical health, but more likely to experience recent depression than women in the general population. Lesbians reported more risky health behaviors relative to other Southern and non-Southern women. Southern lesbians and other Southern women experienced similar barriers to routine health care, including lack of health insurance, not having a regular provider, and having to forgo care owing to cost. Many of these health behaviors and barriers to care were associated with poor physical and mental health among Southern lesbians. Conclusion. Southern lesbians' patterns of health behaviors and utilization of care may place them at increased risk for negative health outcomes relative to the general population.
Journal of Homosexuality, 2014
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice
Individuals who identify as transgender and gender diverse (TGD) are presenting at mental health ... more Individuals who identify as transgender and gender diverse (TGD) are presenting at mental health clinicians' offices with increasing frequency. Many TGD clients are seeking care related to affirming their gender identity but also may present with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, or other problems forwhich a clinician may commonly provide services. Some clinicians may hesitate to accept TGD clients into their practice if they have little specialized training to work with this population in an affirming manner, especially in more underserved areas where a generalist practice is the norm. Numerous professional associations and experts have developed guidelines for affirmative behavioral health care for TGD people. However, what is needed are community-informed recommendations to bridge from the official guidelines to clinicians' insession activities. The Trans Collaborations Practice Adaptations for Psychological Interventions for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults are derived from iterative interviews with TGD community members and affirming mental health clinicians in the Central United States. The 12 practice adaptations are intended to guide clinicians to adapt their usual treatment approach to be TGD affirming, especially in underserved and rural areas. The practice adaptations cover numerous aspects of practice including the office setting and paperwork, understanding gender identity and incorporating it into the case conceptualization, therapist's selfawareness, and referrals. The Trans Collaborations Practice Adaptations will help clinicians work confidently and competently with adult TGD clients, regardless of the presenting problem, to ensure TGD communities receive the best interventions for their behavioral health concerns. Public Significance Statement This paper provides several recommendations for mental health clinicians to adapt their therapeutic approach for affirming services with transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adult clients. The adaptations are accompanied by practical guidance for clinicians about how to work with TGD clients in the therapy room. The recommendations are particularly applicable for clinicians working in geographic locations with limited resources for TGD communities.
Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2019
The sexual satisfaction of couples during pregnancy is an under-researched area of study. Several... more The sexual satisfaction of couples during pregnancy is an under-researched area of study. Several limitations exist within the current literature, including a lack of inquiry into attitudes about sex during pregnancy, analysis of the relationship between sexual satisfaction and sexual behaviors, and analysis of dyadic interactions within the couple. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationships between attitudes toward having sex during pregnancy, various sexual behaviors, and sexual satisfaction among expectant couples via multilevel structural equation modeling. Recruitment focused on mixedgender monogamous couples where the pregnant individual was between 8 and 12 weeks of gestation, and both partners were soon-to-be first time parents. Touching, hugging, or holding, kissing, vaginal and oral sex, and rubbing each other's genitals were all common behaviors among the 116 couples in the current investigation. Anal sex and sex toy use were less common, but far from absent. According to our model, attitudes toward having sex during pregnancy significantly predicted sexual satisfaction by operating through specific sexual behaviors: kissing, vaginal fingering, and vaginal intercourse, while use of a toy alone and use of a toy with partner were independent predictors of sexual satisfaction. Gender had a direct relationship with satisfaction (men were more satisfied), as well as indirect relationship with satisfaction through an interaction with vaginal fingering and use of a sex toy alone. While multiple past month sexual behaviors were likely to increase satisfaction among pregnant and non-expectant couples alike, this improvement might depend on which behaviors are included and the gender of the individual.
Contemporary Sociology: A Journal of Reviews, 2014
are inseparable. Pechlaner masterfully describes the double standards and contradictions in the D... more are inseparable. Pechlaner masterfully describes the double standards and contradictions in the David-versus-Goliath cases. As described in the opening paragraph of this review, Pechlaner seems to be using the Marxian concept of expropriation to describe the capitalist seizure of agricultural seed supplies. However, rather than acknowledge that connection, she instead uses the one reference to Marx in the book to claim a distinction. ‘‘The term ‘expropriationism’ differs from its conventional legal and Marxist usage of expropriation conducted by a public body ostensibly for public good’’ (p. 26). Pechlaner certainly is defining expropriation as something other than the current legal definition of seizing property for the public good. But Marx did not define it that way. Instead, Pechlaner follows in the Marxian tradition of describing the underlying logic of capitalism and the ways that logic manifests in economic and social arrangements. Pechlaner’s decision to engage the debates from the 1980s on how agriculture is different from manufacturing, because of the reliance on natural processes in agriculture, is helpful only to a point. Those debates documented the myriad ways that capital accumulation can occur, even in a non-wagelabor process. However, assuming the uniqueness of smallholder farming in the United States and Canada reifies wage-labor as the measure of industrialism capitalism. Farmers in the United States and Canada have been petty capitalist enterprises at least since the early 1900s. And the demise of small farming as a primary source of family income is not so different from the story of big-box retail eliminating mom-and-pop retail stores or the demise of local banks in the face of the rise of too-big-to-fail banks. Furthermore, portraying farmers as outside of industrial capitalism is simply not accurate. According to a recent analysis by the United States Census of Agriculture, around 12 percent of large farms (annual sales exceeding $250,000) account for 84 percent of the value of agricultural production (Hoppe and Banker 2010:iv). Farm operators may not be wage laborers, but it is misleading to portray them as something other than capitalist firms that supply raw materials to a thoroughly industrialized and capitalistic agricultural system. None of this takes away from the basic narrative and argument of the book, which is very valuable and timely. News headlines regularly alert us to cases of farmers fighting agribusinesses over seed patents. As recently as May 13, 2013, the United States Supreme Court sided again with Monsanto in a case against a farmer who planted soybeans that he had purchased as grain. Pechlaner gives the reader the tools to make sense of the dynamics behind such headlines. In that sense, the book is useful for the general public. It might even suit a course on intellectual property law. The book is also useful for demonstrating how expropriation is occurring in the twenty-first century, over 100 years after Marx explained that process. Therefore, it would be valuable on an agriculture and food sociology syllabus or a classical theory syllabus. In fact, I just recently added it to my classical theory syllabus.
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society, 2014
Background: The promotion of monogamous relationships has been recognized as a feasible strategy ... more Background: The promotion of monogamous relationships has been recognized as a feasible strategy reducing the risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI). This strategy presents challenges for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) couples who often lack the option of legally recognized relationships. This study examined differences in perceived risk, testing, and diagnosis of HIV/STI among married, exclusively partnered, and non-partnered LGBT persons. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was utilized to develop an online anonymous survey. Participants (N=770) were recruited via advertisements, press releases, and listserves. Participants represented western Iowa (same-sex partnership recognition) and Nebraska (no same-sex partnership recognition). Results: No differences were found among groups for HIV and STI diagnosis and HIV testing. Testing for STIs other than HIV was significant across all groups, X2 (2, N=748)=13.486, p
Journal of Health Psychology, 2007
Suicide ideation is a sensitive indicator of personal well-being. While ideation occurs in roughl... more Suicide ideation is a sensitive indicator of personal well-being. While ideation occurs in roughly 3 percent of the US population annually, in this study rates are 10 times higher. This article explores the role of social capital in mediating negative life circumstances on ideation for a sample of 161 homeless adults in a mid-sized Southern US metropolitan area. Our results imply that social capital does not function the same way for homeless persons as it does for the general population. This finding supports growing evidence that social capital's much touted benefits for personal well-being may not apply to disadvantaged populations.
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 2010
Research has demonstrated a high frequency and intensity of alcohol use among lesbian women. This... more Research has demonstrated a high frequency and intensity of alcohol use among lesbian women. This work explores age differences in risk factors for problematic alcohol use among selfidentifi ed Southern lesbians. Risk factors of interest include depression, general stress, and three measures of sexual minority stress (i.e., experiences of discrimination, lesbian/gay-related stigma, and internalized homophobia). Method: We analyze data from the Lesbian Social Life study, which recruited 1,141 self-identifi ed Southern lesbians for participation in an anonymous Web-based survey. We present results from a series of regression models predicting scores on the CAGE scale, a self-reported measure of problematic alcohol use. Results are reported separately by age group (19-29, 30-49, ≥50). Results: Frequent and intense alcohol use was most common among lesbian women ages 19-29. Depression and stress were the most consistent psychosocial correlates of problematic alcohol use, although these patterns varied by age. Each of the minority stress measures was associated with problematic alcohol use, although no clear age-related pattern appeared. Conclusions: Our fi ndings suggest that depression and stress are strong predictors of problematic alcohol use among lesbians, which is comparable to previous fi ndings in heterosexual populations. Additional research is needed to understand how the association between sexual minority stress and problematic alcohol use changes across the life course.
International Journal of Transgenderism, 2017
ABSTRACT Background: Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals experience more discrimina... more ABSTRACT Background: Transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals experience more discrimination than their cisgender peers, and this discrimination can be associated with poorer mental health. This study used the gender minority stress model as a framework to examine the relationship among gender-related stressors and resilience factors and mental health outcomes. The study particularly aimed to increase knowledge of the gender-nonconforming population. Methods: A community sample of 83 individuals that identify as a gender different than the sex assigned to them at birth completed an online survey. Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), respectively. The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience measure was used to assess distal and proximal stressors and resilience factors. Results: The median CES-D and BAI scores were 16 and 13, respectively. Forty percent had a history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), 75% had experienced suicidal ideation, and 45% had attempted suicide. Proximal stress was found to be a positive predictor of depressive symptoms. Resilience was a weak negative predictor of anxiety symptoms. Distal stress was a positive predictor of suicide attempts, and resilience factors and hormone use were marginal negative predictors of suicide attempt. Trans women were significantly less likely to have engaged in NSSI, but had a significantly higher proximal stress score than trans men and gender-nonconforming individuals. Conclusion: Our study found high rates of mental health problems in the trans and gender-nonconforming sample. Our findings in part support the gender minority stress model, with gender-related stress predicting certain mental health problems and resilience being a negative predictor. Overall, gender-nonconforming individuals have had similar experiences and mental health findings as transgender individuals.
The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Health, Illness, Behavior, and Society, 2014
The health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, including the... more The health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, including their stress experiences, is a growing field of study. This entry defines LGBT identities and summarizes the forms of stress that LGBT people are likely to experience in their lives. Evidence shows that LGBT individuals experience a wide variety of stressors, as well as stressors that are distinct to sexual and gender minority members. These stressors perpetuate LGBT mental and physical health disparities, such as suicidal behaviors, substance abuse, and depression. Limitations of the current research include a lack of inclusion of bisexuals and transgender individuals, as well as a reliance on large metropolitan areas for sample selection. Keywords: gay and lesbian studies; gender; sexuality; stress
Transgender Health, 2016
This study assessed within a Midwestern LGBT population whether, and the extent to which, transge... more This study assessed within a Midwestern LGBT population whether, and the extent to which, transgender identity was associated with elevated odds of reported discrimination, depression symptoms, and suicide attempts. Methods: Based on survey data collected online from respondents who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender persons over the age of 19 in Nebraska in 2010, this study performed bivariate t-or chisquare tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis to examine differences in reported discrimination, depression symptoms, suicide attempts, and self-acceptance of LGBT identity between 91 transgender and 676 nontransgender respondents. Results: After controlling for the effects of selected confounders, transgender identity was associated with higher odds of reported discrimination (OR = 2.63, p < 0.01), depression symptoms (OR = 2.33, p < 0.05), and attempted suicides (OR = 2.59, p < 0.01) when compared with nontransgender individuals. Self-acceptance of LGBT identity was associated with substantially lower odds of reporting depression symptoms (OR = 0.46, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Relative to nontransgender LGB individuals, transgender individuals were more likely to report discrimination, depression symptoms, and attempted suicides. Lack of self-acceptance of LGBT identity was associated with depression symptoms among transgender individuals.
LGBT Health, 2015
Purpose: Researchers have documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people h... more Purpose: Researchers have documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have a higher proportion of tobacco use as compared to general population smoking rates. This study examined the relationships between tobacco use and social determinants of health in a sample of self-identifying LGBT people who spend time in Nebraska. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was used to develop an online survey to assess the physical, mental, social, and sexual health of LGBT populations who live, work, or play in Nebraska. Chisquared and logistic regression analyses explored the use of tobacco among respondents. Results: Of the 770 people who completed the survey, 763 respondents completed questions about smoking status. The prevalence of current smoking among these 763 respondents was 26.47%. Some LGBT-specific social determinants of health had significant relationships to smoking status. However, after controlling for known risk factors of smoking in logistic regression models, these variables were not related to smoking status. Conclusions: This study shows that there is a significant relationship between smoking and several general social determinants of health, including employment status, education, and income as well as binge drinking. Limitations include lack of adequate survey respondents to divide subgroups of LGBT individuals and inherent limitations of convenience sampling, which may not allow for an accurate representation of the situation faced by LGBT in Nebraska. In addition to this, the list of LGBT-specific determinants of health used in the survey may not be exhaustive, and there may be additional factors facing LGBT individuals. Public health professionals can use this information in designing smoking reduction campaigns for LGBT populations in Nebraska and culturally similar regions of the United States. These programs and interventions may want to consider a more holistic approach to smoking cessation grounded in the social-ecological model.
Background: HIV/AIDS stigma has been widely studied and well documented in the United States and ... more Background: HIV/AIDS stigma has been widely studied and well documented in the United States and worldwide. Stigma remains a major structural barrier to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, particularly within racial minority populations. The purpose of this study was to measure HIV/AIDS-related comfort and attitudes as indicators of stigma among congregation members in predominately African American faith-based organizations (FBOs) that participated in Project FAITH (Fostering AIDS Initiative that Heal), a statewide stigma reduction and HIV/AIDS prevention project in a southeastern state. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to congregants from FBOs that participated in Project FAITH. Likert-type scales were utilized to measure HIV/AIDS-related attitudes and comfort. Independent variables included gender, age, education level, and frequency of church attendance. Difference of means test, ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc analyses were conducted to determine d...
Background: Sexual orientation may influence the type of specific screenings recommended by healt... more Background: Sexual orientation may influence the type of specific screenings recommended by health care providers (HCP). This study examined gay men and bisexual men and women's disclosure of sexual orientation to their HCP to see if any differences could be seen in HIV and STD testing behaviors. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was utilized to develop an online anonymous survey. Participants (N=500) were recruited via advertisements, press releases, fliers, and e-mail listserves. Participants were individuals who lived, worked, or "played" in Nebraska. Chi-squared analyses were conducted, using PASW 18.0. Results: Gay men who were out to their HCP were more likely to have been tested in the last year for STDs, χ2(1,n=310)=8.22, p≤.00, and ever for HIV, χ2(1,n=316)=25.9, p≤.00. Similar results for bisexual women were found for ever having had an HIV test, χ2(2,n=62)=4.23, p=.04. No significant differences for bisexual men were found. Conclusio...
Background: Many Midwestern states and municipalities do not have employment non-discrimination p... more Background: Many Midwestern states and municipalities do not have employment non-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender (LGBT) persons. In February 2012, an ordinance to create job discrimination protections for LGBT persons was re-introduced to a Midwestern city council in the largest city in the state. Program Description: A research collaborative had recently conducted a community-based participatory research project to assess the health of the LGBT community. Utilizing local data, the team prepared an addendum to the original community report generated by the study on experienced employment-related discrimination. Of the 770 respondents, 412 (53.3%) were from the city of interest. Many respondents indicated, due to their LGBT identity, having been discriminated against in a job at least once (n = 132, 32.7%), treated unfairly by an employer, boss or supervisor (n = 121, 30.1%) and being treated unfairly by coworkers (n = 137, 33.9%). Key among ...
Purpose: Previous research has documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) peo... more Purpose: Previous research has documented that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people have a higher proportion of tobacco use when compared to their non-LGBT counterpart. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between tobacco use and the social determinants of health in a sample of self-identifying LGBT people who live, work, or play in Nebraska. Methods: A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and tools were used to develop an online survey to assess the physical, mental, social, and sexual health of LGBT populations who live, work, or play in Nebraska. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses explored the use of tobacco among respondents. Results: Rate of current smoking among 756 respondents was 26.1%. Some LGBT-specific social determinants of health had significant relationships to smoking status. However, after controlling for known risk factors of smoking in logistic regression models, these variables were found to be unrel...
Background: Previous research conducted in the Midwest shows that self-acceptance of sexual/gende... more Background: Previous research conducted in the Midwest shows that self-acceptance of sexual/gender identity (i.e. internalized homophobia) has a significant impact on the mental and physical health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals. This research has taken place in large urban areas; little is known about how self-acceptance affects the health of LGBT individuals living in predominantly rural and socially conservative settings. Using STD diagnosis history and work absenteeism due to mental health reasons as proxies for physical and mental well-being, this study explored how self-acceptance is related to the health of a non-clinical sample of LGBT Nebraskans. Methods: A community-based participatory research approach was utilized to develop an anonymous survey. Participants (N=789) were recruited via advertisements and press releases in local media, fliers at LGBT-friendly venues and events, and via e-mail. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were run in PAS...
Women's Health Issues, 2010
Purpose. Lesbian women are more likely to experience negative physical and mental health outcomes... more Purpose. Lesbian women are more likely to experience negative physical and mental health outcomes compared with heterosexual women, although most research on this population has relied on small convenience samples. This study compared health behaviors and health care utilization among lesbian women living in the South to representative subsamples of women from the general population. Methods. We conducted a Web-based survey of 1,141 self-identified lesbian women aged 19 and older living in the South. We compared descriptive results from our study to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. We also calculated adjusted logistic regression models to further explore correlates of Southern lesbian women's physical and mental health. Main Findings. Southern lesbians were less likely to be in poor physical health, but more likely to experience recent depression than women in the general population. Lesbians reported more risky health behaviors relative to other Southern and non-Southern women. Southern lesbians and other Southern women experienced similar barriers to routine health care, including lack of health insurance, not having a regular provider, and having to forgo care owing to cost. Many of these health behaviors and barriers to care were associated with poor physical and mental health among Southern lesbians. Conclusion. Southern lesbians' patterns of health behaviors and utilization of care may place them at increased risk for negative health outcomes relative to the general population.
Journal of Homosexuality, 2014
Judging from mainstream meadia and culture, transgender issues are gaining traction. Yet for many... more Judging from mainstream meadia and culture, transgender issues are gaining traction. Yet for many Americans, everything they know about trans people they learned from Caitlyn Jenner. Or Laverne Cox of Orange is the New Black. Or the show Transparent.
Even with a Time magazine cover trumpeting "The Transgender Tipping point" and Vice President Joe Biden calling transgender discrimination "the civil rights issue of our time," there's much ore to understand about trans issues than popular culture or mainstream media teaches.
Luckily for Omahan's, that's where professor Jay Irwin comes in.
In a recent NYT piece, a discussion was presented regarding the potential for the World Health Or... more In a recent NYT piece, a discussion was presented regarding the potential for the World Health Organization (W.H.O.), to declassify transgender identities as mental disorders in the ICD (International Classification of Diseases). This topic has been hotly debated within the transgender community for years, particularly during the update from the DSM IV-TR to the DSM-V. The DSM, or the Diagnostic Statistical Manual is the American Psychiatric Association's version of the ICD, but the U.S. version only focuses on mental disorders, while the ICD classifies all diseases and conditions. Similar to the debate during the update to the DSM V, the conversation around changes to the ICD focuses on weighing the pros and cons of dropping classifications related to " transsexualism " or " GID " (gender identity disorder), the common codes related to trans people in the current ICD 10.