AimsYouth receiving mental health care often face challenges related to romantic relationships, sexuality, and sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Although widely recognized as relevant, these topics are infrequently addressed in youth mental health care. This study explored how youth and mental health professionals experience discussions about sexuality and SOGI in clinical practice.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with 21 youth aged 15-22years receiving psychiatric care, alongside three focus groups with 20 mental health professionals, at a youth mental health center. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsYouth described romance, sexuality, and identity as a normal part of life and closely linked to their well-being, while mental health difficulties often complicated relationships and identity processes. Professionals reported hesitation in raising these topics due to practical and personal barriers. Cultural and religious contexts shaped experiences, particularly for LGBTQ+ youth. Both groups emphasized the importance of addressing sexual side effects of psychotropic medication.ConclusionThis study highlights a gap between the recognized relevance of sexuality and SOGI and their discussion in everyday practice. Youth want these topics addressed in mental health care conversations. Bridging this gap requires proactive, youth-centered and culturally sensitive communication, supported by training and institutional attention.

When Sexting Goes Wrong: The Extent of Nonconsensual Sharing and Sextortion Among U.S. Teens.

The present study examines the associations between other-oriented perfectionism and individual stress within romantic relationships, focusing on the intervening role of social media use as a relational context. Data were collected through an online survey administered via a snowball sampling procedure to a sample of 455 Italian adults aged 19 to 65 years. Using mediation analyses with relevant demographic and relational covariates (age, gender, relationship duration, education level, and sexual orientation), results indicated that higher levels of other-oriented perfectionism were positively associated with greater social media use. In turn, increased social media use was associated with higher levels of stress within romantic relationships. Other-oriented perfectionism also showed a significant direct association with relationship stress, indicating a pattern consistent with partial mediation. Age and relationship duration were significantly associated with social media use, whereas gender and relationship duration were significantly associated with relationship stress. Education level and sexual orientation were not significantly related to relationship stress. Overall, the findings suggest that social media use represents a relevant contextual process through which perfectionistic tendencies oriented toward the partner are linked to relational stress, highlighting the importance of considering digitally mediated interactions in the study of contemporary romantic relationships.

While home-based self-sampling for cervical cancer screening is an evidence-based strategy proven to increase screening access and uptake, it is not currently recommended in the US despite recent Food and Drug Administration approval of the first at-home self-sampling device. Little nationally representative research has examined preference for and drivers of home-based self-sampling over clinic-based testing (the standard of care). To assess women's perspectives about, reasons for considering, and factors associated with preferring at-home self-sampling for cervical cancer screening. This population-based cross-sectional study used data from the 2024 Health Interview National Trends Survey (HINTS 7), a nationally representative survey of the civilian, noninstitutionalized US adult population offered between March and September 2024. Respondents included in this study were individuals aged between 21 and 65 years who were eligible for cervical cancer screening per the US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines and who self-reported their gender identity. Respondents who indicated not needing cervical cancer screening or who did not report their preference for any screening modality (home-based self-sampling or clinician-collected sampling) were excluded. Data were analyzed from May 12 to 25, 2025. Age, race and ethnicity, income, educational level, sexual orientation, marital status, health insurance, urbanicity of residence, trust in the health care system, past-year number of visits to a health care practitioner, and prior experience of discrimination or prejudice when getting medical care. The main outcome was preference for at-home vaginal self-sampling over clinic-based testing, measured using the HINTS 7 question, "If you had choice, how would you prefer to do the cervical cancer screening test?" Responses were: preference to have a health care practitioner do the test in his or her office, preference to self-collect specimen for the test at home, not knowing which option to choose, and not applicable. Weights were assigned to improve representativeness of the general US adult population. The proportion of individuals who reported preferring either screening modality was estimated using weighted percentages. Survey-weighted odds ratios (ORs), adjusted for covariates, were calculated to identify factors associated with preference for at-home self-sampling. Among the 2300 women included (mean [SD] age, 45.5 [29.2] years), most were married or living as married (weighted percentage, 58.2% [95% CI, 56.5%-60.0%]), health insured (91.9%; 95% CI, 90.7%-93.1%), and educated up to some college (61.6%; 95% CI, 60.1%-63.0%). Overall, 462 (20.4%; 95% CI, 17.4%-23.4%) preferred at-home self-sampling, 1402 (60.8%; 95% CI, 57.2%-64.4%) preferred clinic-based testing, and 436 (18.8%; 95% CI, 15.5%-22.1%) were uncertain about their choice. Non-Hispanic Black respondents (adjusted OR [AOR], 0.45; 95% CI, 0.21-0.96) had lower odds of preferring at-home self-sampling compared with non-Hispanic White individuals. Women who had experienced prejudice or discrimination when getting medical care had higher odds (AOR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.16-3.22) of preferring at-home self-sampling. The most commonly self-reported reasons for preferring at-home self-sampling were privacy (54.9%; 95% CI, 49.8%-60.0%), time constraints (35.1%; 95% CI, 29.0%-41.2%), and fear of embarrassment (33.4%; 95% CI, 28.0%-38.8%). In this cross-sectional study, marginalized populations, individuals with low income, and individuals who do not trust the health care system were more likely to prefer at-home self-sampling for cervical cancer screening or not know which option to choose. To address cervical cancer inequities and increase screening uptake, the findings suggest US guidelines should incorporate home-based self-sampling as an alternative to clinic-based testing, women's education and empowerment should be enhanced, and tailored interventions focusing on high-risk groups are needed to increase awareness and self-confidence in performing home-based self-sampling.

Chemsex is defined as the use of psychoactive substances - most commonly methamphetamine, synthetic cathinones, and Gamma-hydroxybutyrate/Gamma butyrolactone (GHB/GBL) - to enhance sexual activity primarily among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM). It is associated with higher rates of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and mental health conditions. However, despite substantial public health concerns regarding rising overdose deaths, the relationship between chemsex and overdose remains poorly studied. In this perspective, we synthesize the current evidence, identify critical knowledge gaps regarding the association between chemsex and overdose risk among GBM, and outline harm reduction and behavioral interventions. Assessing chemsex-related overdose deaths among GBM is challenging due to the limited documentation of sexual practices and sexual orientation in medical or legal records. Stigma further reduces disclosure, and chemsex involvement is rarely identifiable posthumously. Chemsex frequency and perceptions of harm also obscure problematic use. Effective pharmacologic treatments for stimulant dependence remain limited. In contrast, contingency management (CM) has been proven effective in reducing stimulant use, yet remains underutilized. Integrated harm reduction approaches are essential to mitigate the potential risks of chemsex. Key interventions include HIV testing, needle exchange, sexual health screenings, psychosocial interventions, and vaccinations. There is an urgent need for targeted research, improved data collection, and tailored harm reduction strategies to better understand and reduce overdose risk within chemsex contexts. Addressing these gaps is essential for reducing preventable deaths and improving health outcomes in this population.

The demand for high-quality end of life care services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or trans, queer and other sexual or gender minority (LGBTQ+) people will continue to increase alongside that of the wider population. However, there does not appear to be the expected, representative numbers of LGBTQ+ patients within such services. In this article, the author examines some of the challenges experienced by LGBTQ+ people in accessing long-term and end of life care services, and discusses issues related to the concealment and disclosure of sexual orientation and gender identity. The author also explores some of the ways in which nurses, educators and healthcare organisations might improve the representation and inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in end of life care services.

ABSTRACT Latinx sexual minoritized emerging adults (SMEA) face heightened mental health risks due to compounded ethnic-racial and sexual orientation-based discrimination. This study examined how personal, ethnic-racial, U.S. and sexual orientation identity centrality relates to mental health and moderates the effects of discrimination. In a sample of 220 Latinx SMEA (74.1% female, Mage = 20.13 years, SD = 1.43, 18–24 years old) personal and ethnic-racial identity centrality were positively associated with psychological well-being. U.S. identity centrality was negatively associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Sexual orientation identity centrality was negatively associated with symptoms of depression. Discrimination was linked to poorer mental health overall, and sexual orientation discrimination was negatively associated with psychological well-being, but only when personal identity centrality was high. These findings contribute to the existing intersectional literature on the experiences of Latinx SMEA and provide support for existing theories that note the importance of developing a positive sense of self, particularly within minoritized populations.

Discrimination and the risk of depression among university students: A national longitudinal study using diagnostic data.

Beyond additive risk: Intersectional inequalities in sexual violence by sex, race and ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Childhood maltreatment and suicidal behaviors among heterosexual and sexual minority youth in China.

Characterizing sociodemographic differences in substance use treatment need and receipt among pregnant women in the U.S.

A growing body of research reports positive consequences of acute pain, including emotional self-regulation. Pain as a pleasurable experience has also been regarded in the context of sadomasochistic (SM) interest, albeit quantitative empirical evidence is scarce. Recently, an elevated prevalence of chronic pain (CP) has been reported in SM practitioners; however, in absence of a control group. To contribute to research in the field, we strove to see whether we could replicate the finding and further aimed to identify psychological predictors of SM. A total of 617 participants (N = 242 with SM sexual preference) completed an online questionnaire battery comprising psychometric instruments for the measurement of pain attitudes, sensation seeking and pain sensitivity. An age- and sex-matched sample was created to control for their respective influence. CP prevalence in the SM subsample was 47.2%, which we found to be significantly increased compared to the prevalence in the non-SM subsample (29.4%). Neither sex nor age seemed to explain the relationship. There were no interaction effects of SM × CP on pain attitudes. A hierarchical logistic regression model explained around 42% of the variance in SM, with CP, sensation seeking, and viewing pain as a challenge as significant predictors. We replicated an increased CP prevalence in SM and ruled out previous sampling biases. We further extended evidence on factors predicting SM sexual preference. Large-scale, representative and prospective studies are needed to corroborate the idea of SM as a coping strategy used by some CP patients. We demonstrated a significantly elevated chronic pain prevalence of around 47% in individuals with sadomasochistic sexual preference, ruling out previously discussed sampling biases. Possibly, sadomasochistic practise is used as a coping strategy by some chronic pain patients. We further presented a model of pain-related and psychological variables explaining around 42% of variance in sadomasochistic sexual preference in general. The results are discussed in terms of their potential to inform pain management strategies.

Identification of risk factors for impostor phenomenon among healthcare professional students.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a leading cause of 6 cancers. Despite effective vaccines, HPV vaccination rates remain suboptimal, standing at 26% of females and 9% of males, nationally in 2018. This study assessed factors associated with HPV vaccination uptake among patients at Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) sexually transmitted infection specialty clinics. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at 2 CDPH sexually transmitted infection clinics. Of 332 surveys collected, 246 were analyzed after excluding individuals missing HPV vaccination data or those younger than 18 years. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to examine associations between HPV vaccination and sociodemographic factors, adjusting for sex, age, education, and sexual orientation. Human papillomavirus vaccination prevalence was higher among individuals assigned female at birth (65%) than male (46%). Male participants had a 36% lower prevalence of HPV vaccination compared with female participants (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.86). Age was inversely associated with HPV vaccination as the proportion of vaccination decreased with older age groups. Individuals with a high school education or less had a 37% lower prevalence of vaccination compared with individuals with a college degree or higher (aPR, 0.63 [0.40-0.99]). Individuals identifying as bisexual had a 18% higher, and those identifying as gay or lesbian had a 51% higher prevalence of vaccination compared with heterosexual individuals (aPR, 1.18 [0.84-1.66]; 1.51 [1.07-2.12]). The CDPH should prioritize HPV vaccination among individuals assigned male at birth, aged 25 years and older, and with high school education or less, and reduce the coverage gap between heterosexual patients and those of a sexual minority.

Early androgens and development of social personality traits: Evidence from classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

The role of web-based platforms as a novel approach to addressing access to pathology education: The PathElective.com experience.

Discrimination, defined as the experience of unjustified or prejudicial treatment based on qualities such as race, age, gender, or sexual orientation, may negatively impact well-being. Prior research suggests that experiencing discrimination events is associated with higher negative affect. The purpose of this study was to use smartphone-based ecological momentary assessments (EMA) to examine day-to-day relationships between experiencing discrimination events and discrete emotions (e.g.,worried, miserable, afraid, anxious) over a 28-day period. The parent study recruited participants from around the United States and collected EMA data for 28days. Perceived discrimination from the previous day was assessed in the morning EMA. Emotions were assessed in two to four EMAs per day. Within-person and between-person associations between discrimination events yesterday and current day emotions were examined using multilevel analyses. Participants who endorsed at least one discrimination event during the study (N=106) were on average 44.9years old (SD=10.9), mostly White (66.0%), female (74.5%), and had a household income more than $30,000 (58.5%). At the between-person level, those who experienced more discrimination events on average experienced higher depressed, anxious, and miserable emotions. At the within-person level, experiencing a discrimination event was associated with higher ratings of afraid, depressed, anxious, and miserable emotions the following day. Results contribute to the understanding of how everyday discrimination events can impact discrete emotions. Future work should focus on assessing relations between discrimination events and emotions over longer periods of time. In addition, interventions are needed that can address the negative impacts of discrimination on mental health.

Intersectional stigma, health behaviors, and allostatic load among sexual and gender diverse people.

To characterise contemporary practice patterns in female radical cystectomy (RC) across the UK and Ireland, focusing on preoperative counselling, operative strategies, and postoperative care. A 36-item survey was distributed to consultant urologists performing RC, identified via the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) and Cancer Alliances. The questionnaire addressed surgeon demographics, preoperative assessment and counselling, operative decision-making including organ- and nerve-sparing techniques, and survivorship care. Responses were analysed descriptively; group comparisons were made using the Wilcoxon rank-sum and Fisher's exact tests. A total of 64 surgeons responded (56.1% [64/114]), representing 41 cystectomy centres (70.7% [41/58]). Preoperative assessment of sexual activity (68.8%) and menopausal status (78.1%) was common, whereas sexual orientation (15.6%) and prolapse (26.6%) were rarely addressed. Female surgeons were significantly more likely to enquire about menopausal status (P = 0.025). Counselling on sexual dysfunction (98.4%) and vaginal shortening (96.9%) was routine, but other complications, including prolapse (68.8%), menopause (82.8%), or fistula (6.3%), were inconsistently discussed. Organ-sparing practice varied: 28.1% rarely or never performed organ preservation, citing oncological concerns. High-volume centres were more likely to offer organ-sparing RC (P = 0.013). Over half reported inadequate access to female-specific rehabilitation services, with most centres lacking formal pathways for vaginal complications. Female RC practice across the UK and Ireland is heterogeneous, with clear gaps in preoperative counselling, uptake of organ-sparing techniques, and survivorship care. There is an urgent need for standardised, evidence-based pathways and consensus guidance to optimise outcomes for female patients.

Self-disclosure of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STBs) is integral for risk assessment and intervention. However, limited research elucidates the nuanced characteristics of first disclosure experiences for bisexual individuals, who are disproportionately impacted by suicide yet remain underrepresented in the literature. This study examined the features, motivations, and outcomes of an initial STB disclosure among heterosexual and bisexual individuals. Self-report data from 259 adults (Mage = 35.40 years; 35.09% bisexual) with a history of STB disclosure recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (mTurk) were analyzed with univariate and non-parametric tests and binary logistic regression models. Compared to heterosexuals, bisexual participants reported a higher prevalence of suicidal behavior disclosure, seeking formal disclosure recipients, and disclosing through online platforms. They were also more motivated to address physical safety concerns and obtain professional help and more frequently engaged in help-seeking behaviors post-disclosure. On average, both groups rated disclosure as helpful, with heterosexual individuals reporting it as more helpful. There was a significant main effect of help-seeking encouragement from recipients in predicting post-disclosure help-seeking engagement. These findings underscore the necessity of considering the impact of sexual orientation differences in initial STB disclosure processes, which may set the benchmark for subsequent disclosure and help-seeking trajectories.