Self-reported Sexual Orientation Research Articles

Gender Dysphoria and Sexual Euphoria: A Bayesian Perspective on the Influence of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy on Sexual Arousal

Self-reported sexual orientation of transgender individuals occasionally changes over transition. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we tested the hypothesis that neural and behavioral patterns of sexual arousal in transgender individuals would shift from the assigned to the experienced gender (e.g., trans women’s responses becoming more dissimilar to those of cis men and more similar to those of cis women). To this aim, trans women (N = 12) and trans men (N = 20) as well as cisgender women (N = 24) and cisgender men (N = 14) rated visual stimuli showing male–female, female–female or male–male intercourse for sexual arousal before and after four months of gender-affirming hormone therapy. A Bayesian framework allowed us to incorporate previous behavioral findings. The hypothesized changes could indeed be observed in the behavioral responses with the strongest results for trans men and female–female scenes. Activation of the ventral striatum supported our hypothesis only for female–female scenes in trans women. The respective application or depletion of androgens in trans men and trans women might partly explain this observation. The prominent role of female–female stimuli might be based on the differential responses they elicit in cis women and men or, in theory, the controversial concept of autogynephilia. We show that correlates of sexual arousal in transgender individuals might change in the direction of the experienced gender. Future investigations should elucidate the mechanistic role of sex hormones and the cause of the differential neural and behavioral findings.The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02715232), March 22, 2016.

Sexual Orientation Identity Change, Developmental Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms, and Childhood Abuse From Adolescence to Young Adulthood

PurposeThis study tested differences between youths who reported being heterosexual at ages 15.5 and 21, and those who changed from reporting being heterosexual at age 15.5 to nonheterosexual at age 21, in the developmental trajectories of depressive symptoms from age 22–24 years, and whether these longitudinal patterns were explained by childhood and adolescent abuse. MethodsThe Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) was used (849 male youths and 1,455 female youths). Youths' self-reported sexual orientation was measured at ages 15.5 and 21, and depressive symptoms were measured at ages 22, 23, and 24. Childhood and adolescent abuse between birth and 17 years were reported by youths and their mothers. ResultsMale and female youths who changed from reporting being heterosexual to nonheterosexual reported significantly more depressive symptoms than their consistently heterosexual counterparts at all 3 ages (except the association for male youths at age 24), with total effects (unstandardized regression coefficients) ranging from 2.00 to 5.27. These associations were weakened but remained statistically significant when childhood and adolescent abuse was controlled for, with direct effects ranging from 1.50 to 4.68. These associations were mediated through childhood and adolescent abuse, with indirect effects ranging from 0.48 to 0.58. Differences between youths who consistently reported being heterosexual and those who changed from reporting being heterosexual to nonheterosexual in depressive symptoms decreased from age 22–24 years, possibly due to the success of identity integration. DiscussionChildhood and adolescent abuse may partially explain these developmental disparities.

Exploring the Relationship between Self-Rated Health and Unmet Cancer Needs among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer.

This study evaluates the unmet needs of sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors by comparing SGM AYA self-rated health (SRH) scores to their non-SGM (i.e., cisgender/heterosexual) counterparts. The Cancer Needs Questionnaire-Young People (CNQ-YP) and self-rated health measures were used to assess unmet needs in AYAs aged 15-39 who had been diagnosed with cancer in the previous ten years (n = 342). Participants were recruited from a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center registry using the modified Dillman's method. Self-reported sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI) data were collected. Independent t-tests were used to test between-group differences in unmet needs and Pearson's chi-square test was used to determine the difference in SRH scores between SGM and non-SGM AYA cancer survivors. SGM AYA cancer survivors reported greater mean needs than their non-SGM counterparts across all six domains and reported significantly greater needs in the domains of Feelings and Relationships, t(314) = -2.111, p = 0.036, Information and Activities, t(314) = -2.594, p = 0.009, and Education, t(207) = -3.289, p < 0.001. SGM versus non-SGM SRH scores were significantly different, indicating that a higher percentage of SGM AYAs reported poor/fair health compared to those who were non-SGM. Unmet life and activities needs were negatively associated with AYA cancer survivors' SRH, whereas unmet work needs were positively associated with AYA cancer survivors' SRH. An AYA's gender identity (SGM versus non-SGM) was not a moderator. SGM AYAs are an understudied group within an already vulnerable patient population. Unmet psychosocial needs related to one's feelings and relationships, and information and activity needs merit further research to develop tailored interventions that reflect the experiences of SGM AYAs.

Comparing Harmful Behaviors Among Dancers According to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Utilizing the RISQ.

There is a dearth of information about whether lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) dancers, who often experience increased psychosocial risk factors, are at increased risk of engaging in harmful behaviors compared to their heterosexual cisgender counterparts. This study explores harmful behaviors dancers engage in according to their self-reported sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), utilizing the validated Risky, Impulsive, and Self-Destructive Behavior Questionnaire (RISQ). Three hundred sixty-four dancers from 7 elite dance entities in New York were contacted by e-mail to participate in the study. Sixty-six participants completed the study through a virtual questionnaire. Chi-square, ANOVA and independent t-test were utilized to assess statistical differences among RISQ outcomes in 4 SOGI groups: Cisgender Heterosexual Female (n = 20); Cisgender Heterosexual Male (n = 7); LGBTQ+ Female (n = 19); and LGBTQ+ Male (n = 20). Chi-square comparing SOGI group frequency of participation within each of the RISQ behaviors revealed statistically significant difference with: difficulty stopping eating (P = .05); gambling illegally (P = .036); betting on sports, horses, or other animals (P = .036); buying expensive items that cannot be afforded at the spur of the moment (P = .019); and drinking 5 or more alcoholic drinks in 3 hours or less (P = .013). Between-group frequency comparison through ANOVA and independent t-test revealed: the LGBTQ+ Male group were 92% more likely to have unprotected sex with someone they just met or did not know well (P < .001) and 83% more likely to use hallucinogens, LSD, or mushrooms (P = .018); the LGBTQ+ Female and LGBTQ+ Male groups were 4.4 times more likely to buy drugs (P = .01) and 4.88 times more likely to think about killing themselves (P = .023); and both male groups were 12.8 times more likely to steal money (P = .006). This study found significant difference in RISQ scores based on a dancer's SOGI. Harmful behaviors should be taken into consideration when working to improve dancer patient outcomes and quality of life.

Should I stay, or should I go? Factors associated with intent to leave academic oncology.

11004 Background: Physicians who are female and/or belong to racial/ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine (UIM) face disparities in salary, promotion, and leadership opportunities in academic oncology. Also, growing rates of burnout, increasing burden of documentation/administrative tasks, and lack of adequate supportive staff represent threats to workforce retention, particularly for female and racial minority subgroups. We evaluated the prevalence and factors associated with likelihood of leaving their specific academic institution in a national sample. Methods: We obtained national faculty data from the AAMC’s StandPoint Faculty Engagement Survey, conducted between 2017-2020 with 25 U.S. medical schools. Chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine differences in likelihood of leaving their institution within 1-2 years by sex and UIM status. Multivariate analyses (MVA) examined the associations between likelihood of leaving their institution and self-reported sex, year born, sexual orientation, UIM race/ethnicity, degree, academic rank, and administrative role. Results: We identified 724 oncology faculty at academic institutions (overall response rate 64%). Slightly less than half of oncologists self-identified as female (42%, n = 303) and only 7% (n = 47) as UIM. When asked about the likelihood of leaving their current institution, 22% (n = 152/687) of oncologists reported being at least somewhat likely to leave within the next 1-2 years. Notably, 26% of female oncologists reported they were likely to leave, compared to 19% of males (p = 0.022); no differences were observed by UIM status (p = 0.714). MVA identified sex as associated with likelihood of leaving; females had 78% higher odds of leaving their institution within 1-2 years (aOR 1.78; 95% CI, 1.13–2.79). Among those likely to leave, 46% (n = 72/157) reported intent to leave academic medicine completely; rates were similar across sex and UIM groups (p = 0.746). When evaluating workplace experience, most oncologists (86%, n = 621) felt respected in their workplace. Among those reporting feelings of disrespect in the workplace, 16% of female oncology faculty felt disrespected due to their gender (n = 47), compared to 0% of male oncologists. A small number of faculty reported disrespect due to age (n = 26), race/ethnicity (n = 11), sexual orientation (n = 2), marital status (n = 10), or religion (n = 7). Females endorsed greater feelings of disrespect in all categories other than religion. Conclusions: Female oncologists are almost twice as likely to state they are likely to leave their academic institutions within 1-2 years; this aligns with published data on attrition of female faculty in academic medicine. Our findings confirm the persistence of these trends in the modern era and stress the urgency of improving workplace experience, culture, and supports in order to preserve and enhance the diversity of faculty in academic oncology.

Economic Vulnerability of Sexual Minorities: Evidence from the US Household Pulse Survey.

Despite improvements in the legal and social environment, economic outcomes for LGBTQ individuals suggest a high degree of vulnerability. We use data on over 500,000 individuals collected from July 21, 2021 to May 9, 2022 as part of US Census Bureau's Household Pulse survey which is the Bureau's first survey to collect self-reported sexual orientation and gender identity. We use linear probability models to answer several questions related to the economic experience of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals during this time period. We find that lesbian women, bisexual women, and bisexual men were more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to be in a household that experienced pandemic related job loss. Bisexual men were more likely than heterosexual men to have difficulty paying their expenses, experience food insufficiency and experience housing insecurity in the last week. Lesbian and bisexual women were more likely than heterosexual women to report expense difficulty and food insufficiency. The vulnerability we observe may have been exacerbated by the pandemic but appears to be largely due to pre-existing-and likely continuing-inequalities.

Measuring the effect of self-reported sexual orientation on earnings: evidence from the general social survey

This study uses General Social Survey (GSS) data to explore the difference in earnings between gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual individuals. The most recent GSS surveys have data on self-identified sexual orientation, providing an opportunity to explore its role as a determinant of earnings with more accuracy than previous estimations in the literature relying on sexual history or cohabitation status to determine sexual orientation. Results show no significant difference between gay or bisexual men and straight men. For bisexual women, the results show a penalty of 20.8% in relation to heterosexual women which is not explained by human capital, demographics, or job characteristics. For lesbian women, the results show no significant earning difference in comparison to heterosexual women. These findings provide evidence that potential issues of misclassification resulting from using proxies to determine sexual orientation deserve careful consideration.

Sexual minority status, illicit drug use, and depressive symptoms

Youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and who identify with other sexual orientations (LGB+) are at higher risk for illicit drug use and have higher rates of mental illness. The current study examined the prevalence of illicit drug use among LGB + persons and assessed the moderating effect of mental illness. Cross-sectional data from the 2015, 2017, and 2019 Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System were aggregated. The outcome was any reported use of cocaine, inhalants, heroin, methamphetamines, ecstasy, or hallucinogens. The primary exposure was self-reported sexual orientation category (i.e. heterosexual, gay/lesbian, bisexual, and not sure). Self-reported depressive symptoms were tested as a moderator. Logistic regression models assessed main and interactive effects. Gay or lesbian students [AOR = 1.87 95% CI: 1.45, 2.43], bisexual students [AOR = 2.07 95% CI: 1.77, 2.42], and those unsure of their sexual orientation [AOR = 1.99 95% CI: 1.65, 2.39] had increased odds of illicit drug use. Odds were higher among LGB + youth who did not have depressive symptoms (p < 0.001). Odds of illicit substance use was significantly greater in youth identifying as gay and lesbian, bisexual, and students who were not sure about their sexual orientation and among LGB + youth without depressive symptoms. Targeted, but non-stigmatizing, prevention programs are needed.

Violência contra pessoas LGB+ no Brasil: análise da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde 2019

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the association between self-reported sexual orientation and violence in the Brazilian population. Methods: This cross-sectional epidemiological study used the 2019 National Survey of Health database. Total violence and its subtypes (psychological, physical, and sexual) were analyzed in the previous 12 months. Prevalence and odds ratio adjusted for age group were estimated, with their respective 95% confidence intervals, according to the self-reported sexual orientation of the Brazilian population aged 18 years and older. Statistical significance was set at 5%. Results: Most of the Brazilian population self-identified as heterosexual (94.75%) and 1.89% as LGB+. This percentage was lower than that of respondents who refused to answer the question (2.28%). The prevalence of violence in the general population of Brazil was 18.27%, and the most common subtype was psychological violence (17.36%). The LGB+ population was more than twice as likely to experience any type of violence. LGB+ women had the highest prevalence in all violence subtypes, and heterosexual men had the lowest. LGB+ women were over three times more likely to experience physical violence compared to heterosexual ones. Meanwhile, the probability of LGB+ men experiencing sexual violence was almost eight times higher than in heterosexual men. Conclusion: The prevalence of violence against the LGB+ population was high in the country. Public policies aimed at this population are necessary to fight discrimination against sexual diversity and ensure the rights of non-heterosexual people.

Gender and sexual orientation of undergraduate medical students in India: A cross-sectional study.

Although the potential for alternate conceptions of gender roles and sexual orientations are diverse, it is by-and-large not well tolerated. This study explores the self-reported gender-roles and sexual orientations of Indian undergraduate medical students. To study self-reported gender role and sexual orientation of undergraduate medical students in India. One hundred twenty volunteers were included in the study consisting of 60 males and 60 females. A questionnaire comprising of a sociodemographic proforma, Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI), and Epstein Sexual Orientation Inventory (ESOI) were given to each participant. The scales were scored, tabulated, and statistically analyzed. The BSRI revealed that femininity was predominant in both female and male participants, at 68.33% and 55%, respectively. The ESOI revealed that females had significantly higher opposite-sex attraction than males. Though males had higher same-sex attraction than females, the difference was not statistically significant. Females also had a significantly higher sexual orientation range and a mean sexual orientation. Sexual drive was significantly higher in males. Significantly more females supported homosexuality and bisexuality as compared to males. This study helps establish that gender roles can be non-conforming. It helps ascertain that while heterosexual orientation predominates, alternate sexual orientations also exist. It paves the way for future studies and explorations to alleviate public misconceptions.

Clinician experiences on training and awareness of sexual orientation in NHS Talking Therapies Services for Anxiety and Depression

Abstract Previous research that explored sexual minority service users’ experiences of accessing NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression Services highlighted the need for specific sexual orientation training. Inconsistent or lack of training may contribute to disparities in treatment outcomes between sexual minority service users and heterosexual service users. The aim of the study was to explore clinicians’ competencies working with sexual minority service users, their experiences of sexual orientation training, their view of current gaps in training provision, and ways to improve training. Self-reported sexual orientation competency scales and open-ended questions were used to address the aims of the study. Participants (n=83) included Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) and high-intensity CBT therapists (HITs). Responses on competency scales were analysed using Kruskal–Wallis tests and thematic analysis was used to analyse qualitative responses. Participants who identified as 25–29 years old had higher scores on the knowledge scale than 45+-year-olds. Bisexual participants also had higher scores on the knowledge subscale than heterosexual participants. Three over-arching themes were identified: (a) training received on sexual minority issues by Talking Therapies clinicians, (b) clinicians’ experiences of accessing and receiving sexual minority training, and (c) perceived gaps in current sexual minority training and ways to improve training. Findings were linked to previous literature and recommendations to stakeholders are made throughout the Discussion section with the view of improving sexual orientation training. Key learning aims (1) To understand current training provision of sexual orientation training across NHS Talking Therapies courses and services in England. (2) To consider clinicians’ experiences of challenges and barriers that may prevent them from accessing or implementing sexual orientation training in clinical practice. (3) To understand clinicians’ views of the current gaps in training and ways to improve training provision. (4) To make recommendations to NHS Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression courses and services in ways to improve training on sexual orientation to better meet the learning needs of clinicians and service users.

E-Cigarette Use Among Persons With Diagnosed HIV in the U.S.

<h2>Abstract</h2><h3>Introduction</h3> Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) emerged in the U.S. market in the late 2000s. During 2017, e-cigarettes use among U.S. adults was 2.8%, with higher use among some population groups. Limited studies have assessed e-cigarette use among persons with diagnosed HIV (PWH). The purpose of this study is to describe national prevalence estimates of e-cigarette use among PWH by selected sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical characteristics. <h3>Methods</h3> Data was collected between June 2018 and May 2019 as part of the Medical Monitoring Project, an annual cross-sectional survey that produces nationally representative estimates of behavioral and clinical characteristics of PWH in the U.S. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were determined using Chi-square tests. Data were analyzed in 2021. <h3>Results</h3> Among PWH, 5.9% reported currently using e-cigarettes, 27.1% had ever used them but were not using them currently, and 72.9% had never used them. Current use of e-cigarettes was highest among PWH who currently smoke conventional cigarettes (11.1%), PWH with major depression (10.8%), PWH aged 25-34 years (10.5%), PWH who reported injectable and non-injectable drug use in past 12 months (9.7%), PWH diagnosed less than five years ago (9.5%), self-reported sexual orientation as other (9.2%), and non-Hispanic white people (8.4%). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Overall, findings suggest that a greater proportion of PWH used e-cigarettes than the overall U.S. adult population and higher rates were observed among certain subgroups, including those who currently smoke cigarettes. E-cigarette use among PWH warrants continued attention because of its potential impact on HIV-related morbidity and mortality.

Sexual Orientation Change among Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review

This article reviews research on changes in self-reported sexual orientation labels and associated health outcomes among adolescents and young adults. Using seven electronic databases and supplementary methods, we identified 30 studies for inclusion in the review, published between 2000 and 2020. This review aimed to summarize the approaches to measuring sexual orientation change; the prevalence, patterns, and directionality of changes in sexual identity; and how changes in sexual orientation relate to health outcomes among adolescents and youth adults. The reviewed studies lacked agreement in operationalization and assessment of sexual orientation changes. Prevalence of change in self-reported sexual orientation differed by birth sex, whereby cisgender female participants were more likely to report a change than male participants. In addition, adolescents and youth identifying with a nonheterosexual orientation or sexual minority at baseline were more likely to report a change in sexual orientation. Few studies reported on the impact of changes in sexual orientation on behavioral health outcomes. Adolescents who reported either nonheterosexual orientation at baseline or a shift toward nonheterosexual orientation had a greater likelihood of reporting depressive symptomology, suicidality, and substance use compared to those who did not report a change or reported consistent heterosexuality. Recommendations for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Twinks, Jocks, and Bears, Oh My! Differing subcultural appearance identifications among gay men and their associated eating disorder psychopathology

Gay men have increased risk of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating compared to heterosexual men, and it is unclear what differentiates their risk for thinness- and muscularity-oriented eating psychopathology. Differing subcultural appearance identifications (SAIs) among gay men are one potential factor that may relate to varied eating psychopathology, but this has not been studied. We examined gay men’s SAIs: twinks, jocks, and bears; any “other” self-identified SAI; or no SAI, as well as the relationship between men’s SAIs and traditional eating psychopathology and unhealthy dieting (both facets of thinness-oriented psychopathology), and muscularity-oriented psychopathology using univariate ANOVAs controlling for participant age. 264 U.S. gay-identified participants self-reported sexual orientation, SAIs, and eating psychopathology. Self-identified twinks did not report higher traditional eating psychopathology or unhealthy dieting than other SAIs or those without a SAI, as hypothesized. Self-identified twinks, jocks, and bears all reported greater muscularity-oriented eating pathology than those without a SAI. Self-identified jocks also reported higher muscularity-oriented disordered eating than those with an “other” self-identified SAI and bears. Thus, having a SAI may increase risk for disordered eating; specifically, identifying as a twink, jock or bear may confer greater risk for muscularity-oriented eating pathology.

Stability and Change in Sexual Orientation and Genital Arousal over Time

ABSTRACT Longitudinal work suggests that sexual orientation can change over time in men and women. These studies, however, may be susceptible to the bias of self-report. The current study therefore examined self-reported sexual orientation in addition to an objective correlate: genital arousal to erotic videos showing males or females. For 52 men (19 heterosexual, 19 bisexual, 14 homosexual) and 67 women (31 heterosexual, 18 bisexual, 18 homosexual), these measures were taken twice, with approximately 1 year between sessions. For self-reported sexual orientation, women reported lower relative stability (weaker correlation) than men over time, even though women did not change more overall (no stronger mean difference) than men between sessions. Bisexual individuals reported lower relative stability and more mean change than heterosexual and homosexual individuals. For genital arousal, across all groups, response patterns were correlated over time to a similar extent and showed little difference between sessions. Moreover, change in self-reported sexual orientation did not correspond with the change in genital arousal, regardless of sex. Perhaps self-reports overestimate changes in sexual orientation, since these changes were not reflected in physiological sexual response.

Barriers and Facilitators to HIV Testing Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Washington, District of Columbia: Formative Research to Inform the Development of an mHealth Intervention.

BackgroundAdolescents and young adults (AYA) in the United States, and in Washington, District of Columbia (DC), specifically, are disproportionately affected by HIV. Both the national Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative and DC-specific plans emphasize HIV testing, and innovative strategies to encourage testing among AYA are needed.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to identify sexual behaviors, HIV knowledge, HIV perceptions (eg, susceptibility and severity), and perceived barriers and facilitators to HIV testing among AYA at risk for HIV in DC.MethodsThis study was part of a larger study to determine the acceptability of using a life-and-dating simulation game to increase HIV testing among AYA. Focus groups and surveys stratified by self-reported sexual orientation were conducted among, and administered to, AYA aged 13-24 years in DC. HIV knowledge was explored during focus groups and measured using an adapted version of the Brief HIV Knowledge Questionnaire. Survey data were summarized using descriptive statistics and compared by self-reported sexual orientation. Transcripts were thematically analyzed.ResultsOf the 46 AYA who participated in the focus groups, 30 (65%) identified as heterosexual and 16 (35%) as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer. A higher proportion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer AYA reported sexual activity (12/16, 75%, vs 18/30, 60%), condomless sex (11/12, 92%, vs 15/18, 83%), and HIV testing (13/16, 81%, vs 17/29, 58%) than heterosexual AYA. HIV prevention (“condoms” and “...PrEP”) and transmission (“exchange of fluids”) knowledge was high, and most (34/44, 77%) of the AYA perceived HIV testing as beneficial. However, the AYA also demonstrated some misinformation concerning HIV: an average of 67% (31/46; SD 0.474) of the participants believed that an HIV test could deliver accurate results 1 week after a potential exposure and an average of 72% (33/46; SD 0.455) believed that an HIV vaccine exists. The AYA also identified individual (“...people...are scared”), interpersonal (“it’s an awkward conversation”), and structural (“...people don’t...know where they can go”) barriers to testing. Most of the AYA indicated that they were very likely to use the demonstrated game prototype to help with getting tested for HIV (median 3.0, IQR 2.0-3.0, using a scale ranging from 0 to 3, with 3 indicating high likelihood) and strongly agreed that the game was interesting (median 5.0, IQR 5.0-5.0), fun (median 5.0, IQR 4.0-5.0), and easy to learn (median 5.0, IQR 5.0-5.0, using a scale ranging from 1 to 5, with 5 indicating strong agreement).ConclusionsThese results suggest a need for multilevel HIV testing interventions and informed the development of a mobile health intervention aiming to increase HIV knowledge and risk perception among AYA, while reducing barriers to testing at the individual and structural levels, supporting efforts to end the domestic HIV epidemic.

59. Sexual Orientation and Behaviors Among Gender-Diverse Youth

Gender-diverse youth (GDY) comprise a significant proportion of adolescents, yet our understanding of their sexual behaviors and sexual orientation is limited. We sought to describe patterns in self-reported sexual behaviors and sexual orientation among high school age GDY in one urban school district.

Gender differences in the association of sexual orientation with depressive symptoms: A national cross-sectional study among Chinese college students

BackgroundDepressive symptoms among the lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) in college students have generated worldwide concern in recent decades. This study aimed to estimate the associations between sexual orientation and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students, with a focus on gender differences. MethodsA total of 30,733 college students were recruited from 10 Chinese province-level regions with a multistage, stratified cluster, random sampling method between March and June 2019. The 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-20) was used to measure the depressive symptoms. Sexual orientation was assessed by asking the question, “Which of the following options best describes you?” The responses were categorized as heterosexual, gay/lesbian, bisexual, and unsure. ResultsIn our sample (N = 30,733), the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 6.1%. Among the surveyed Chinese college students, 3.7% self-reported as LGB, and 7.2% were unsure. LGB (gay/lesbian: 14.9% for males and 6.8% for females; bisexual: 9.3% for males and 16.4% for females) had a higher risk of depressive symptoms than heterosexuals. After adjusting for control variables, LGB and unsure college students were more likely to have depressive symptoms than their heterosexual peers. For males, unsure college students reported the highest risk of depressive symptoms; for females, lesbian and bisexual college students reported the highest risk of depressive symptoms. LimitationsThe cross-sectional study design and self-reported depressive symptoms and sexual orientation. ConclusionLGB was associated with increased depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. Furthermore, the associations of LGB sexual orientation with depressive symptoms were more robust for females than males.

Sexual Minority Adults in England Have Greater Odds of Chronic Mental Health Problems: Variation by Sexual Orientation, Age, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status.

Purpose: Sexual minority adults report worse mental health than heterosexual peers, although few empirical studies are large enough to measure variation in these disparities by sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES). We investigate chronic mental health problems among sexual minority adults. Methods: Sex-disaggregated logistic regressions examined associations between self-reported chronic mental health problems and sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, and SES in a 2015-2017 dataset from the nationally representative English General Practice Patient Survey data (n = 1,341,339). Results: Bisexual adults, especially young bisexual females, reported the highest rates of chronic mental health problems. Sexual minority females 18-24 years of age had five times the odds of reporting chronic mental health problems of their heterosexual peers, with 32% of sexual minority females 18-24 years of age reporting the outcome. Sexual minority identity was also strongly associated with chronic mental health problems for adults who were White and lived in more affluent areas. Conclusion: The very high odds of chronic mental health problems among bisexual adults, especially younger bisexual females, may reflect simultaneous isolation from sexual minority and heterosexual communities. Elevated odds at younger ages may reflect disproportionate social media use and bullying. It is plausible that those who are subject to minority stress associated with SES and ethnicity may develop resilience strategies that they then apply to sexual minority stress. The results suggest that sexual minority identity is a source of minority stress, even for those who are affluent. Clinicians should be alert to the need to support the specific mental health concerns of their sexual minority patients.

Exposure to continuous or fluid theories of sexual orientation leads some heterosexuals to embrace less-exclusive heterosexual orientations

We examined whether heterosexual individuals’ self-reported sexual orientation could be influenced experimentally by manipulating their knowledge of the nature of sexual orientation. In Study 1 (180 university students, 66% female) participants read summaries describing evidence for sexual orientation existing on a continuum versus discrete categories or a control manipulation, and in Study 2 (460 participants in a nationally representative Qualtrics panel, 50% female) additionally read summaries describing sexual orientation as fluid versus stable across the life-course. After reading summaries, participants answered various questions about their sexual orientation. In Study 1, political moderates and progressives (but not conservatives) who read the continuous manipulation subsequently reported being less exclusively heterosexual, and regardless of political alignment, participants reported less certainty about their sexual orientation, relative to controls. In Study 2, after exposure to fluid or continuous manipulations heterosexual participants were up to five times more likely than controls to rate themselves as non-exclusively heterosexual. Additionally, those in the continuous condition reported less certainty about their sexual orientation and were more willing to engage in future same-sex sexual experiences, than those in the control condition. These results suggest that non-traditional theories of sexual orientation can lead heterosexuals to embrace less exclusive heterosexual orientations.