Gender differences in health and risk behaviors among bisexual and homosexual adolescents (original) (raw)
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Adolescent health care experience of gay, lesbian, and bisexual young adults
Journal of Adolescent Health, 1998
Subjects were 102 self-identified gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth aged 18 -23 years. A confidential self-administered survey elicited demographic information, sexual orientation information, health care experiences, subjects' understanding of medical confidentiality during ages 14 -18 years, and their suggestions for improving care to gay and lesbian adolescents.
Analysis of Reported Health Care Use by Sexual Orientation Among Youth
JAMA Network Open
IMPORTANCE In the United States, adolescents who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) face disparities across physical and mental health outcomes compared with non-LGB youth, yet few studies have looked at patterns of health care utilization by sexual orientation. OBJECTIVE To compare health care utilization indicators for LGB and non-LGB youth. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This cohort study analyzed wave 3 data from Healthy Passages, a longitudinal observational study of diverse public school students in Birmingham, Alabama; Houston, Texas; and Los Angeles County, California. Multivariable logistic regression models tested sexual-orientation differences in the past 12-month health care utilization measures, controlling for youth age, gender, race and ethnicity, household education, income, and marital status. Data collection began in 2010 when students were in the 5th grade (mean [SE] age, 11.13 [0.01] years) (wave 1) and continued 2 years later (wave 2, 7th grade) and 5 years later (wave 3, 10th grade). Permission to be contacted was provided for 6663 children, and 5147 (77%) participated in audio computer-assisted self-administered interviews. This study included 4256 youth (640 LGB, 3616 non-LGB) who completed interviews at wave 1 and wave 3 and answered key items used in this analysis. Analyses were completed in June 2021. EXPOSURES Sexual orientation (LGB vs non-LGB). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Health care utilization and communication difficulty with a physician in the past 12 months. RESULTS Among 4256 youths included in the study at baseline in 5th grade (wave 1), 2171 (48.9%) were female; 1502 (44.5%) were Hispanic or Latino; 1479 (28.9%) were Black; the mean (SE) age was 11.19 (0.03) years; and 640 (14.5%) were LGB at wave 3. Compared with non-LGB youth, a higher proportion of LGB youth reported not receiving needed medical care in the last 12 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.68; 95% CI,1.38-2.05), most commonly for sexually transmitted infections, contraception, and substance use. LGB youth more frequently reported difficulty communicating with their physician (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.27-2.30) than non-LGB youth. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study's results found that health care utilization differs by sexual orientation for youth. These findings suggest that clinician training is needed to address the health care needs of LGB youth. Routinely capturing sexual orientation data might enable tracking of health care utilization indicators for LGB youth.
Promoting the successful development of sexual and gender minority youths
American journal of public health, 2014
Because of societal discomfort with atypical expressions of sexual orientation and gender identity, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youths have experienced enhanced developmental challenges compared with their heterosexual peers. A recent special issue of the American Journal of Public Health delineated how social stigma affecting LGBT youths has resulted in a wide range of health disparities, ranging from increased prevalence of depression and substance use to downstream effects, such as an increased risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease when older. We review the clinical significance of these findings for health care professionals, who need to become informed about these associations to provide better care for their sexual and gender minority youth patients, and to be able to educate their parents and other caregivers.
International Journal of Sexual Health, 2019
Objectives: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer/questioning (LGBQ), and transgender/nonbinary (trans/NB) youth experience health disparities. Much research combines gender identity with sexual orientation or siloes them, ignoring intersections. Methods: Logistic regressions with representative data from 2015 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (n ¼ 15,970) explores sexual risk. Results: Findings indicate LGBQ and trans/NB youth have differential levels of sexual risk (drugs during sexual interactions, not using condoms) compared to cisgender heterosexual peers. Other identities, mental health, and bullying are also related. Conclusions: There is a need for culturally responsive bullying prevention, mental health support, education, and sexual health services for marginalized populations.
Health Care Disparities Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: A Literature Review
Cureus, 2017
About 3.5% Americans identify themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual while 0.3% identify themselves as transgender. The LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community belongs to almost every race, ethnicity, religion, age, and socioeconomic group. The LGBT youth are at a higher risk for substance use, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), cancers, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, bullying, isolation, rejection, anxiety, depression, and suicide as compared to the general population. LGBT youth receive poor quality of care due to stigma, lack of healthcare providers' awareness, and insensitivity to the unique needs of this community. The main objective of this literature review is to highlight the challenges faced by the LGBT youth and to enhance the awareness among physicians about the existing disparities in order to provide a more comprehensive, evidence-based, and humane medical care to this community.
The Journal of school health, 2016
Differences in sexual health-related outcomes by sexual behavior and identity remain underinvestigated among bisexual female adolescents. Data from girls (N = 875) who participated in the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey were analyzed. Weighted logistic regression models were fit to examine sexual and psychosocial health by lifetime sexual behavior (behaviorally bisexual vs behaviorally heterosexual) and sexual identity (bisexual vs heterosexual) adjusting for grade and race/ethnicity. Overall, 10.5% of girls reported lifetime bisexual behavior and 8.1% reported a bisexual identity. Behavior and identity were discordant for bisexual young women as 53.2% of behaviorally bisexual students had a bisexual identity and 46.8% had a heterosexual identity. Bisexual identity and behavior were associated with unprotected intercourse at last sexual encounter, early sexual debut, 4 or more lifetime partners, history of forced/unwanted sex, sexually transmitted infection tes...
Adolescent gender identity and sexual orientation: a school-based correlational study
Brazilian Journal of Health Review
Adolescents are increasingly encouraged to freely express their sexuality. The purpose of this study was to compare non-cisgender adolescents with cisgender/heterosexual adolescents and those who have an undefined gender identity and/or sexual orientation, on their future prospects, emotional state, sexuality, risk behaviors, and their perception of health care and its accessibility. Adolescents who identify as non-cisgender/heterosexual seem to have higher future aspirations, however, they have a more unstable emotional state, higher risky behaviors, and fear being prejudiced by health care professionals. The undefined group appears to be undefined about their sexuality and future aspirations, while reporting less risky behaviors.
The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine, 2016
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth exhibit significantly higher rates of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and nonsuicidal self-injury than their heterosexual peers. Past studies tend to group LGBQ youth together; however, more recent studies suggest subtle differences in risk between sexual minority groups. This study examined differences in mental health symptoms across male and female youth who are attracted to the same sex (gay and lesbian), opposite sex (heterosexual), both sexes (bisexual), or are unsure of whom they were attracted to (questioning) in a sample of 2,513 youth (ages 14-24 years). Data were collected using the Behavioral Health Screen-a Web-based screening tool that assesses psychiatric symptoms and risk behaviors-during routine well visits. Bisexual and questioning females endorsed significantly higher scores on the depression, anxiety, and traumatic distress subscales than did heterosexual females. Lesbi...