Search

Stress arising from the experience of stigma and discrimination around gender identity is known to negatively influence health outcomes for transgender individuals. The Gender Minority Stress and Resilience (GMSR) scale is a validated tool for measuring experiences of minority stress and resilience among transgender individuals. This paper seeks to examine whether there are differences in how youth respond to the GMSR scale. Using data from a sample of 202 transgender and gender nonbinary youth collected online, this analysis compares responses to the GMSR scale between transgender youth with binary and nonbinary gender identities. While reports of non-affirmation were generally high (M = 15.02), and community connectedness for all participants was generally low (M = 7.5), there were no significant differences to scale responses across gender identity. Nonbinary assigned male at birth (AMAB) reported greater rates of threats of physical violence due to gender identity or expression. Nonbinary assigned female at birth (AFAB) reported greater rates of feeling unique in their gender identity or expression. This preliminary analysis suggests that the GMSR scale is a useful tool, however, further research is needed to understand stress and resilience among transgender and gender nonbinary youth and developing specific measures that capture their experience.

Purpose: Gender minority (GM) stress, resulting from distal (i.e., external) and proximal (i.e., internal) stigma-based stressors, is thought to drive mental health disparities among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) youth. We tested the gender minority stress and resilience (GMSR) model hypotheses that distal GM stress effects on mental health are partially mediated by proximal GM stress and moderated by GM-specific resilience (i.e., community connectedness, identity pride) among a U.S. national sample of TGD youth. Methods: As part of an HIV prevention study (NCT03185975), 159 TGD youth (ages 15–24) completed an online survey that included the GMSR measure, assessing distal and proximal GM stress and GM resilience, and the 18-item Brief Symptom Inventory, assessing past-7-day psychological distress. Three models linking GMSR constructs to psychological distress were tested using PROCESS v4.0: (1) simple partial mediation, (2) moderated partial mediation, and (3) serial partial mediation. Results: A direct effect of distal GM stress was observed in all models. An indirect effect through proximal GM stress alone was observed in model 1, but not models 2 or 3. In model 2, resilience did not moderate the effects of distal or proximal GM stress. In model 3, indirect effects were observed through proximal GM stress and GM resilience serially as well as GM resilience alone. Conclusion: Larger prospective studies are needed to confirm the role of GM resilience as a mediator, rather than moderator, of GM stress effects on mental health and a critical, rather than supplementary, target for mental health intervention among TGD youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies conducted early in the COVID-19 pandemic - before vaccines were widely available - indicated that drug use may have declined among sexual minority men (SMM). This study evaluated drug use trends in the second year of the pandemic. Cross-sectional responses from cisgender SMM living in the US and recruited online (n = 15,897) were grouped for analyses: Time 1: 3/1/2021-5/30/2021; Time 2: 6/1/2021-8/31/2021; Time 3: 9/1/2021-11/30/2021; and Time 4: 12/1 2021-2/28/2022. Results of multivariable models indicated that illicit drug use (excluding cannabis) increased at Times 2 (OR = 1.249, p <.001), 3 (OR = 1.668, p <.001), and 4 (OR = 1.674, p <.001) compared to Time 1. In contrast, cannabis use was relatively stable over time. Rates did not differ significantly among Times 1, 2, and 4. While rates of COVID-19 vaccination increased over time, illicit drug use was negatively associated with the odds of vaccination (OR = 0.361, p <.001). These findings highlight the need for ongoing attention to the risks drug use poses among SMM. Illicit drug use - a long-standing health disparity among SMM - increased significantly across the second year of the pandemic. Because they are less likely to be vaccinated, SMM who use illicit drugs may be at greater risk of COVID-19 infection or complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available and recommended for men who have sex with men (MSM) at risk for HIV infection. Other HIV prevention products are being developed, including long-acting injectable (LAI) and event-based oral and topical formulations. Understanding preferences for potential products by MSM can help direct further development of prevention messaging. Methods: We present baseline data from HIV-negative participants enrolled in the US Mobile Messaging for Men (M-cubed) Study. Participants were asked their likelihood of and rank order preference for using daily oral PrEP and various potentia prevention products (one- to -three-month injections, 2-1-1 sexual event oral dosing, anal or penile gel, or anal suppository), and their sociodemographic characteristics. Bivariate and multivariable logistics regression assessed demographic associations with likelihood of use and rank order preference. Results: Overall, most MSM reported a likelihood of using LAI (74%), sexual event-based pills (67%) and penile gel (64%). Men who reported recent unprotected (condomless and PrEPless) anal sex most preferred a penile gel formulation (74%), followed closely by LAI and event-based pills (73% each). Current PrEP users (vs. non-users) had greater odds of reporting likelihood to use LAI (AOR = 3.29, 95% CI = 2.12 to 5.11), whereas men reporting recent unprotected anal sex had a greater odds of likelihood to use a penile gel (AOR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.27 to 2.52) and an anal suppository (AOR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.08 to 2.02). Hispanic/Latino (vs. White) MSM (AOR = 2.29, 95% CI = 1.40 to 3.73) and, marginally, Black MSM (AOR = 1.54, 95% CI = 1.00 to 2.38) had greater odds of reporting likelihood to use penile gel. Similar patterns were found for rank ordering preference of products, including condoms. Conclusions: Most MSM were interested in using various potential future HIV prevention products, especially LAI. However, two typologies of potential users emerged: men who prefer sexual event-based methods (condoms, event-based pill, sexua gels and suppositories) and men who prefer non-sexual event-based methods (daily pill, LAI). Men who reported recent unprotected anal sex preferred a penile gel product most, followed closely by sexual event-based pills and LAI. Racial/ethnic differences were noted as well. These findings on product preferences can help in formulation development and messaging. Keywords: PrEP; prophylaxis; HIV; MSM; men who have sex with men; prevention products; prevention methods, 1 | INTRODUCTION Currently available for use in the United States, daily administered PrEP in pill form is efficacious and recommended to prevent HIV infection in individuals at high risk [...]

ObjectivesWe assessed the relation of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), intimate partner violence (IPV), and depression to HIV sexual risk behaviors among Black men who have sex with men (MSM).MethodsParticipants were 1522 Black MSM recruited from 6 US cities between July 2009 and December 2011. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used.ResultsParticipants reported sex before age 12 years with someone at least 5 years older (31.1%), unwanted sex when aged 12 to 16 years (30%), IPV (51.8%), and depression (43.8%). Experiencing CSA when aged 12 to 16 years was inversely associated with any receptive condomless anal sex with a male partner (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.29, 0.86). Pressured or forced sex was positively associated with any receptive anal sex (AOR = 2.24; 95% CI = 1.57, 3.20). Experiencing CSA when younger than 12 years, physical abuse, emotional abuse, having been stalked, and pressured or forced sex were positively associated with having more than 3 male partners in the past 6 months. Among HIV-positive MSM (n = 337), CSA between ages 12 and 16 years was positively associated with having more than 3 male partners in the past 6 months.ConclusionsRates of CSA, IPV, and depression were high, but associations with HIV sexual risk outcomes were modest.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that in 2016 the global annual incidence of chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and syphilis among people 15 to 49 years of age was 376.4 million [...]

Women in India experience high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and low rates of adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) breastfeeding guidelines, contributing to poor maternal and child health outcomes. However, there is little evidence for how IPV might influence ability to adhere to these guidelines in India. This study examines how different forms and severity levels of IPV are associated with current infant feeding behavior throughout the first year of life in an effort to begin to fill this gap in the literature and provide information to improve infant feeding programs. Data are analyzed from the 2015 Indian National Family Health Survey. The sample comprised women who reported initiating breastfeeding in the past 12 months and who were selected for the Domestic Violence Module (n = 6812). Two outcome variables were created to measure current adherence to the WHO breastfeeding guidelines for mothers of 1) infants 6 months and younger and 2) infants 7 to 12 months. Two logistic regression models were fit to measure associations between the outcome variables and non-severe physical violence, severe physical violence, and sexual violence. Less than one-third of women reported adhering to WHO breastfeeding guidelines. Only severe physical violence was significantly associated with lower odds of current exclusive breastfeeding among mothers of infants 0 to 6 months. This analysis advances the understanding of how IPV is associated with suboptimal breastfeeding behavior by categorizing the severity of violence and including infants through the first year of life. The results suggest it may be crucial to focus intervention efforts on mothers with younger infants if the negative health effects of early weaning are to be avoided. Additional study of IPV in mothers of older infants should focus on the temporality of violence, which may elucidate additional findings regarding IPV and breastfeeding in this population., Author(s): Nicholas Metheny [sup.1] [sup.2] , Rob Stephenson [sup.1] [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.214458.e, 0000000086837370, University of Michigan School of Nursing, , 400 North Ingalls St, 48109, Ann Arbor, MI, [...]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among male couples is increasingly recognized as a public health concern. Research on IPV in opposite sex couples indicates frequent underreporting of IPV and high levels of discordance in reporting among dyads. Concordance studies inform refinement methods to measure the experience of IPV among dyads; however the lack of dyadic studies of male couples impedes our understanding of the extent to which IPV is differentially reported in male-male dyads. This study utilized baseline data from a randomized controlled trial of a behavioral intervention to optimize antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among 160 sero-discordant male couples in three US cities and provides the first analysis of concordance in reporting IPV among male couples. Low degrees of concordance in the reporting of IPV were identified among male dyads, with a greater proportion of men reporting violence perpetration than experiencing violence. The greater reporting of IPV perpetration may be linked to adherence to concepts of masculinity. The results underscore the unique experiences of IPV among male couples and the need to reexamine current IPV measurement and intervention strategies., Author(s): Rob Stephenson [sup.1] [sup.2] , A. Sharma [sup.2] , M. J. Mimiaga [sup.3] [sup.4] [sup.5] [sup.6] , R. Garofalo [sup.7] [sup.8] , E. Brown [sup.6] , A. Bratcher [sup.9] [...]