Structural Stigma and Disparities in Long-Term Health Conditions Among Australians in Same-Sex Relationships: 2021 Australian Census.

Objectives.  To explore the extent to which structural stigma (sociocultural and institutional constraining factors) is associated with sexual orientation disparities in long-term health conditions. Methods.  We measured structural stigma using the regional percentage of votes against same-sex marriage from Australia's 2017 Marriage Equality Survey and mapped this to the 2021 Census survey of 10 093 399 and 136 988 individuals in different-sex and same-sex relationships, respectively. Controlling for individual and area-level confounders, we used logistic regression analyses to examine the association between quartiles of structural stigma and sexual orientation disparities in long-term health conditions (e.g., any, mental health, asthma, cardiovascular). Results.  In the lowest stigma quartile, individuals in same-sex relationships had 56% higher odds of reporting any long-term health condition (odds ratio [OR] = 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.53, 1.59) and this increased to 63% in the highest stigma quartile (OR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.58, 1.68). Effects were particularly pronounced for cardiovascular, respiratory, and mental health conditions as well as for men, younger populations, and those living in socioeconomically deprived regions. Conclusions.  Living in stigmatizing environments may have deleterious health effects for sexual minorities in Australia. Policy action and enhanced protections for sexual minorities are urgently required. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(10):1110-1122. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307759).

Divergence in Chinese Sexual Attitudes: An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis.

A crucial component of comprehending societal change is understanding how sexual attitudes have evolved over time. The substantial and typical changes in China have created an ideal quasi-experimental design and a wealth of empirical data for tracking the evolution of sexual attitudes. However, existing research has failed to adequately analyze the temporal trends in Chinese sexual attitudes. This study employed an age-period-cohort framework to investigate changes in public sexual attitudes, including premarital sex, extramarital sex, and homosexuality. And it further delved into these attitudes in light of two unique aspects of Chinese society: urban-rural divide and political status. It explored the contributing elements and potential processes of changing public sexual attitudes in China using data from seven waves of national social survey conducted from 2010 to 2021. The findings indicated that public sexual attitudes became more conservative with age; the period effect exhibited a fluctuating upward trend, indicating a general increase in acceptance of the three sexual attitudes; notable differences in sexual attitudes among cohorts were identified. The divergence in sexual attitudes was significantly influenced by urban-rural divide and political status.

Sexual Attraction and Non-Suicidal Self-Harm: The Role of Stressors and Psychological Mediators.

Non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH) is a serious concern for the well-being of youth. Stressors relate to greater NSSH risk, such as being non-heterosexual in a heteronormative society. Other stressors may include traumatic experiences. These relationships may be mediated by psychological factors (depressed mood, anxiety, anger, and self-esteem) as well as contextual factors (support from parents and peers). The purpose of this study was to examine NSHH ideation and behavior among Icelandic youth, as well as relationships with stressors and mediators. Students in Icelandic high schools (N = 8921, 50.8% female) completed an in-class survey in the year 2016. Results showed an elevated risk of NSSH ideation and behavior among bisexual and homosexual youth. Mediation analyses showed that, for girls, being bisexual related to greater NSSH ideation and behavior, and these relationships were mediated by depressed mood, anger, and self-esteem, as well as by support from parents and peers. For boys, however, both homosexual and bisexual attraction related to greater risk for NSSH ideation and behavior, which was mediated by depressed mood, anger, and self-esteem. These results suggest that NSSH risk factors vary by gender and, therefore, they may benefit from different interventions to stop and prevent this behavior. This is the first study of its kind in Iceland, where sexual minority stress may need further study within the Nordic context.

Transtornos mentais comuns entre gays: evidenciando vulnerabilidades na pandemia da Covid-19 / Common mental disorders among gay men: showing vulnerabilities in the covid-19 pandemic / Trastornos mentales comunes entre los homosexuales: evidencia de vulnerabilidades en la pandemia de

Objetivou-se investigar a incidência de Transtornos Mentais Comuns (TMC) entre gays e no intragrupo que se autoidentificam como afeminados, durante o período pandêmico. Para tanto, utilizou-se de forma remota o Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) junto a 43 participantes cisgêneros, bem como fez-se entrevistas junto a 08 gays que se autoidentificam como afeminados. Encontrou-se indicativo de TMC em 60,5% dos participantes. Há uma heterogeneidade nos modos de sofrimento mental entre homens gays durante a pandemia, uma vez que marcadores sociais como raça, renda, escolaridade, local de moradia e ser gay afeminado foram determinantes para o adoecimento mental. O confinamento social durante a pandemia ampliou as vulnerabilidades, seja pela intensificação do contato com a família de origem ­ tradicionalmente conservadora e heteronormativa ­ seja pelo afastamento dos espaços da cidade e dos laços comunitários e de acolhimento LGBTQ+. A incidência de TMC foi elevada dentre os participantes, em especial, no intragrupo dos gays afeminados (87,5%), evidenciando vulnerabilidades na pandemia da Covid-19. (AU)

The objective was to investigate the incidence of Common Mental Disorders (CMD) among gays and in the intragroup that self-identify aseffeminate gays,during the pandemic period. For this purpose, the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used remotely with 43 cisgender participants, as well as interviews with 08 gays who recognized themselves as effeminate. Indicative of CMD was found in 60.5% of the participants. There is a heterogeneity in the modes of mental suffering among gay men during the pandemic,since social markers such as race, income, education, place of residence and being an effeminate gay were decisivefor mental illness. Social confinement during the pandemic increased vulnerabilities, either by intensifying contact with the family of origin -traditionally conservative and heteronormative -or by distancing from city spaces and LGBTQ + community and host ties. The incidence of CMD was high among the participants, especially in the intragroup of effeminate gays(87,5%), showing vulnerabilities in the Covid-19 pandemic. (AU)

Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la incidencia de Trastornos Mentales Comunes (TMC) entre hombres homosexuales y en elintragrupo de hombres homosexualesautoidentificado comoafeminados,durante el período pandémico. Por lo tanto, se utilizó de forma remota el Self-ReportingQuestionnaire(SRQ-20) con 43 participantescisgéneros, así como entrevistas con08 gays que se reconocieron como afeminados. Indicativo de TMC se encontró en el 60,5% de los participantes. Existe heterogeneidad en las modalidades de sufrimiento mental entre los hombres homosexuales durante la pandemia, ya que los marcadores sociales como la raza, los ingresos, la educación, el lugar de residencia y ser homosexual fueron determinantesde lo sufrimiento mental. El confinamiento social durante la pandemia aumentó las vulnerabilidades, ya sea al intensificar el contacto con la familia de origen, tradicionalmente conservadora y heteronormativa, o al alejarse de los espacios de la ciudad y de los lazos de bienvenida comunitarios y LGBTQ +. La incidencia de TMC fue alta entre los participantes, especialmente en el intragrupo de hombres gay afeminados(87,5%), evidenciando vulnerabilidades en la pandemia de Covid-19. (AU)

The Third Backdoor: How the DSM Casebooks Pathologized Homosexuality.

This study argues that institutional psychiatry's pathologizing stance on homosexuality persisted after 1973, when the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. It persisted not only through the well-known diagnoses of "ego-dystonic homosexuality" and "gender identity disorder of childhood," but also through case studies published in four editions of the DSM Casebooks (1981, 1989, 1994, 2002), the APA publications advertised as a "learning companion to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual." These publications contained harmful and false homosexual stereotypes, associating gay men with child abuse, violence, and sexual sadism; associating homosexuality with mental disturbance while failing to similarly mark heterosexuality or bisexuality; associating psychopathology with gay social contexts while failing to similarly mark non-gay social contexts. This study provides evidence that the DSM Casebooks portrayed homosexual women and bisexuals as invisible, and homosexual men as narcissistic, predatory, and dangerous.

Gender Identity in the Contemporary Age: It Is Often a Suffered Conquest.

Gender identity is strictly connected to biological sex, but it is not determined by it. The sex-gender distinction made it possible to challenge biological determinism, which had historically claimed to provide a scientific foundation for gender differences. Gender does not have a biological origin, but a sociocultural one; it is the centennial conditioning that has determined gender differences, making them perceive as natural rather than culturally learned dispositions. In the last few years homosexuality, and the various characteristics that distinguish it, is becoming an increasingly visible and relevant reality both in sociocultural and the scientific fields, also and above all within clinical psychology and mental health.

Beliefs Toward Cure of Homosexuality Scale: evidence for factor structure / Escala de Crenças sobre a Cura da Homossexualidade: evidências para a estrutura fatorial / Escala de Creencias sobre la Cura de la Homosexualidad: prueba de la estructura factorial

This study aimed to confirm the multifactorial structure of the Beliefs Toward Cure of Homosexuality Scale (BTCHS) - (ECCH in Portuguese) and to verify evidence of its validity based on external variables. To this end, two studies were carried out. In Study 1, there were 214 university students, with an average age of 24 years (SD = 9.15). These students answered the HCBS and demographic questions. The results indicated a satisfactory fit for multifactorial modeling. Study 2, in turn, presented 430 university students with an average age of 23 years (SD = 7.90). In addition to the HCBS, the participants responded to the measures of sexual prejudice (MSP) and attitudes towards gays and lesbians (ATGL) questionnaires. Performing correlation analyses between the variables, we found significant correlations between the HCBS and the MSP and ATGL. In conclusion, the HCBS presented an adequate data-model fit for its multifactorial structure and evidence for its validity based on external variables. (AU)

Este estudo objetivou confirmar a estrutura multifatorial da Escala de Crenças sobre a Cura da Homossexuliade (ECCH) e verificar evidências de validade baseada em variáveis externas. Para tal, foram realizados dois estudos. No Estudo 1 contou-se com 214 estudantes universtários, com uma média de idade de 24 anos (DP = 9,15). Estes responderam a ECCH e a perguntas demográficas. Os resultados indicaram um ajuste satisfatório do modelo multifatorial. O Estudo 2, por sua vez, contou com a participação de 430 estudantes universitários com uma média de idade de 23 anos (DP = 7,90). Além da ECCH, esses participantes responderam as medidas de preconceito sexual (EMPS) e atitudes frente a gays e lésbicas (EMAFGL). Mediante a realização de análises de correlação entre as variáveis foi possível constatar correlações significativas da ECCH com as dimensões da EMPS e EMAFGL. Conclui-se, que a ECCH apresenta bons indicadores de ajuste do modelo multifatorial e evidências de validade baseada em variáveis externas. (AU)

Este estudio objetivó confirmar la estructura multifactor de la Escala de Creencias sobre la Cura de la Homosexualidad (ECCH) y verificar evidencias de validez basadas en variables externas. Para ello, fueron realizados dos estudios. En el estudio 1 participaron 214 estudiantes universitarios, con una edad media de 24 años (DS = 9,15). Estos respondieron la ECCH y a las preguntas demográficas. Los resultados indicaron un ajuste satisfactorio del modelo multifactorial. El estudio 2, por su parte, contó con la participación de 430 estudiantes universitarios con una edad media de 23 años (DS = 7,90). Además de la ECCH, los participantes contestaron las medidas de prejuicio sexual (EMPS) y actitudes frente a gays y lesbianas (ATGL). Mediante la realización de análisis de correlación entre las variables fue posible constatar correlaciones significativas de la ECCH con las dimensiones de la EMPS y ATGL. Se concluye, que la ECCH presenta buenos índices de ajuste del modelo multifactorial y evidencias de validez basadas en variables externas. (AU)

Conhecendo as demandas de cuidado em saúde mental de jovens homoafetivos / Conociendo las demandas de cuidado en salud mental de jóvenes homoafectivos / Knowing the demands of mental health care of the young homoaffective

Objetivo: conhecer as demandas de cuidado em saúde mental de jovens homoafetivos. Método: pesquisa qualitativa, realizada com 18 jovens homoafetivos, estudantes universitários, em Santa Catarina. A produção de informações ocorreu em 2016, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada, com questões sobre percepções em relação à própria saúde mental, a homoafetividade e expectativas frente ao cuidado de saúde. As informações foram interpretadas mediante análise de conteúdo. Resultados: foram identificadas vulnerabilidades individuais, sociais e programáticas dos jovens homoafetivos, que podem interferir na saúde mental, levando-os a buscar suporte profissional. Foram relatadas fragilidades dos serviços de saúde para este cuidado. Considerações finais: os jovens homoafetivos vivenciam situações de vulnerabilidades, havendo demandas de cuidados que são negligenciadas nos serviços de saúde. Eles carecem de inovações, sobretudo em saúde mental, uma vez que sofrem agressões, opressões e estigmas, que colaboram para o uso de drogas. Ainda, questionam sobre atendimentos igualitários, resolutivos, livres de preconceitos e assistência humanizada.

Objetivo: conocer las demandas de cuidado en salud mental de jóvenes homoafectivos. Método: investigación cualitativa, realizada con 18 jóvenes homoafectivos, estudiantes universitarios, en Santa Catarina. La producción de información ocurrió en 2016, por medio de entrevista semiestructurada, con cuestiones sobre percepciones en relación a la propia salud mental, la homoafectividad y expectativas frente al cuidado de salud. La información se ha interpretado mediante análisis de contenido. Resultados: se identificaron vulnerabilidades individuales, sociales y programáticas de los jóvenes homoafectivos, que pueden interferir en la salud mental, llevándolos a buscar apoyo profesional. Se han reportado debilidades de los servicios de salud para este cuidado. Consideraciones finales: los jóvenes homoafectivos experimentan situaciones de vulnerabilidad, habiendo demandas de atención que son descuidadas en los servicios de salud. Carecen de innovaciones, sobre todo en salud mental, ya que sufren agresiones, opresiones y estigmas, que colaboran para el uso de drogas. Aún, cuestionan sobre atenciones igualitarias, resolutivos, libres de prejuicios y asistencia humanizada.

Objective: to know the demands of mental health care of young homosexuals. Method: qualitative research, conducted with 18 young homoaffective, university students in Santa Catarina. The production of information occurred in 2016, through semi-structured interviews, with questions about perceptions regarding mental health, homoaffectivity and expectations regarding health care. The information was interpreted through content analysis. Results: individual, social and programmatic vulnerabilities of young homosexuals were identified, which can interfere with mental health, leading them to seek professional support. Weaknesses of health services for this care were reported. Final considerations: young homosexuals experience situations of vulnerability, with demands for care that are neglected in health services. They lack innovations, especially in mental health, since they suffer aggression, oppression and stigma, which contribute to drug use. Still, they question about equal care, problem-solving, free of prejudice and humanized assistance.

Association of Coming Out as Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual+ and Risk of Cigarette Smoking in a Nationally Representative Sample of Youth and Young Adults.

Importance: Coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or other identities besides heterosexual (LGB+) may represent a susceptible period for cigarette smoking initiation in youth and young adults. Objective: To assess whether young people who change their sexual identity have higher risk of cigarette smoking initiation and current smoking compared with those with consistent sexual identities. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from the nationally representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health study (wave 1, 2013-2014; wave 2, 2014-2015; wave 3, 2015-2016; wave 4, 2016-2018). Youth and young adults aged 14 to 29 years who were never smokers at wave 1 were included in this study. Analysis began October 2018 and ended June 2020. Exposures: Consistent sexual identity (consistently heterosexual, consistently LGB+) vs changing sexual identity (coming out as LGB+, other LGB+ patterns) based on 4 waves of sexual identity data. Identities were further classified by distinguishing between bisexual and lesbian, gay, and other nonheterosexual identities. Main Outcomes and Measures: Smoking initiation and current cigarette smoking at wave 4. Results: Among 7843 individuals who never smoked at wave 1, 6991 (90.7%) reported a consistent sexual identity, and 852 (9.3%) changed sexual identity across waves. The mean (SE) baseline age of participants who reported consistent heterosexuality was 20.1 (0.8) years; consistently LGB+, 20.0 (3.7) years; coming out as LGB+, 18.0 (2.9) years, and other LGB+ pattern, 20.3 (3.8) years. A total of 14.1% (weighted) initiated smoking, and 6.3% were current smokers at wave 4. Compared with consistently heterosexual identities, coming out as LGB+ (23% vs 13%; odds ratio [OR], 1.72; 95% CI, 1.34-2.20), consistently LGB+ identities (17% vs 13%; OR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.03-2.04), and other LGB+ patterns (17% vs 13%; OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.04-2.08) were positively associated with smoking initiation by wave 4. Compared with consistently heterosexual identities, ORs for smoking initiation were 2.24 (28% vs 13%; 95% CI, 1.72-2.92) for coming out as bisexual, 1.99 (23% vs 13%; 95% CI, 1.20-3.29) for consistently LGB+ with change to/from bisexual, and 2.20 (23% vs 13%; 95% CI, 1.40-3.46) for other LGB+ patterns with change to/from bisexual identity. Current smoking estimates were similar to those for smoking initiation. Conclusions and Relevance: Compared with consistently heterosexual identities, changing sexual identity over follow-up was associated with smoking initiation and current smoking. The risk associated with changing sexual identities was concentrated among participants coming out as bisexual or reporting other changes in their identity to/from being bisexual. More research is needed on mechanisms underlying the association between changing sexual identity and smoking initiation to inform tailored prevention programs and tobacco regulations.

Meta-Analyses of Fraternal and Sororal Birth Order Effects in Homosexual Pedophiles, Hebephiles, and Teleiophiles.

This study investigated the relations between numbers of older brothers, numbers of older sisters, and the odds of homosexuality in later-born males, including males who are most attracted sexually to prepubescent or early pubescent children (pedohebephiles) and males who are most attracted sexually to adults (teleiophiles). The authors meta-analyzed data from 24 samples of homosexual and heterosexual men, originally reported in 18 studies, and totaling 18,213 subjects. The results confirmed that older brothers increase the odds of same-sex preference in pedohebephiles as they do in teleiophiles. They also replicated the recent finding that older sisters have a similar but weaker statistical association with the odds of homosexuality. These findings have two theoretical implications. First, the findings for older brothers and older sisters indicate some commonality in the factors that influence sexual preference in teleiophiles and those that influence sexual preference in pedohebephiles. Second, the finding for older sisters confirms a prediction stemming from the hypothesis that male fetuses stimulate maternal antibodies that increase the odds of homosexuality in later-born males. Such immunization could result from miscarried as well as full-term fetuses, and number of older sisters should correlate with number of male fetuses miscarried before gestation of the subject.

Sexual minority status, social adversity and risk for psychotic disorders-results from the GROUP study.

BACKGROUND: Lesbian, bisexual, or gay individuals (LBGs) have an increased risk for mental health problems compared to heterosexuals, but this association has sparsely been investigated for psychotic disorders. The aim of this study was: (1) to examine whether LBG sexual orientation is more prevalent in individuals with a non-affective psychotic disorder (NAPD) than in people without a psychotic disorder; and if so, (2) to explore possible mediating pathways. METHODS: Sexual orientation was assessed in the 6-year follow-up assessment of the Dutch Genetic Risk and Outcome of Psychosis study (GROUP), a case-control study with 1547 participants (582 patients with psychotic disorder, 604 siblings, and 361 controls). Binary logistic regression analyses were used to calculate the risk of patients with a psychotic disorder being LBG, compared to siblings and controls. Perceived discrimination, history of bullying, childhood trauma (CT), and sexual identity disclosure were investigated as potential mediating variables. RESULTS: The proportion of individuals with LBG orientation was 6.8% in patients (n = 40), 4.3% in siblings (n = 26), and 2.5% in controls (n = 10). The age- and gender-adjusted odds ratio of LBG for patients was 1.57 (95% CI 1.08-2.27; p = 0.019), compared to siblings and controls. Discrimination, bullying, and CT all partially mediated this association. CONCLUSIONS: Adverse social experiences related to sexual minority status may increase the risk for NAPD. Sexual identity, behavior, and difficulties need more attention in everyday clinical practice.

Queer Students, International Service-Learning, and Inclusivity: Insights into Identity, Activism, and Learning.

This qualitative study examines the experiences of LGBTQ students involved in international service-learning, exploring the possibilities, positive impacts, and complexities of navigating LGBTQ identities while participating in international service-learning. Analysis of their experiences yielded three themes that played an important role shaping their experiences: balancing their stance as learners and as activists, viewing their LGBTQ identities as assets as well as objects of structural barriers, and navigating language to make sense of their context and make themselves understood. These findings have implications for how universities and community partners prepare, train, and support students before, during and after their experiences abroad.

Queering the (Ab)Normalization of Gender, (Hetero)Sexuality and Schooling in South Africa.

Schools are places where youth do work on the construction of their sexual identities which is intimately connected with issues around gender. Using one-on-one in-depth interviews, this article addresses how queer youth navigate dominant understandings of gender and sexuality in the context of their identity and practice. Cognizant of how gender remains a significant force in organizing social relations in schools, the youth parody and abnormalize heteronormativity calling into question the fragility of hegemonic heterosexuality. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that despite evidence that associates schooling with social exclusion, the queer youth's accounts highlight, strikingly, that queer identity and inclusion are not necessarily separate storylines. Offering an alternative view of the schooling experiences of queer youth, the paper motivates that within exclusion, in a matter of speaking with all its unduly assemblages, is inclusion.

The Mediating Role of Attachment Avoidance in the Association between Sexual Orientation and Mental Health.

The current study examined whether attachment avoidance mediates the association between being a sexual minority (gay men or lesbian women) and poorer mental health outcomes. For this purpose a community-dwelling sample of 350 gay men and lesbian women (M = 30.39, SD = 6.82) and 445 heterosexual men and women (M = 26.95, SD = 3.11) completed measures of attachment avoidance, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction. Results showed that gay men and lesbians reported poorer mental health. Moreover, attachment avoidance had a mediating effect on the association between being a sexual minority and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and life satisfaction. These findings are some of the first to suggest empirical support for the role of attachment avoidance in accounting for the mental health vulnerability of gay men and lesbians. The results contribute to a better understanding of the minority stress model and should be addressed by practitioners.

Heteronormativity in the Lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Young People.

Heteronormativity, as defined in queer theory, is the presumption and privileging of heterosexuality. Research on how young people make sense of and narrate heteronormativity in their own lives is needed to inform theories of heteronormativity. Using queer and intersectional frameworks, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 sexual and gender minority young people (ages 18 to 24), analyzed using thematic analysis, to examine how young adults make sense of heteronormativity. Participants discussed how gender expression informed both sexuality and sexual attraction. Participants prioritized biological parenthood over other family constructions but rarely discussed marriage. Gender, sexuality, and race contributed important contexts for how participants described heteronormativity in their lives and should be the focus of future research. Finally, binaries of gender, sexuality, and family intersected in participants' lives and their narrative constructions.

Same-Sex Sexuality and the Risk of Divorce: Findings from Two National Studies.

Despite symbolic linkages between heterosexuality and marriage, and a pervasive heteronormative ideology of romantic love, little population-representative research examines whether same-sex sexuality - desire/attraction, behavior, and gay, lesbian, or bisexual identity - increases the likelihood of divorce from an different-sex spouse. We examine this association using data from the 1992 National Health and Social Life Survey and the 2011-2013 National Survey of Family Growth. In both sub-studies, multivariate logistic regression analyses indicate that same-sex sexuality reduces the odds of ever marrying. However, among the once-married, same-sex desire/attraction, sexual behavior, and gay, lesbian, or bisexual identity respectively increase the odds of different-sex divorce net of demographic and early-life factors. Same-sex sexuality puts a brake on divorce by preventing some different-sex marriages that would ultimately end in divorce, but is associated with an increase risk of different-sex divorce among once-married individuals.

Protester, Partygoer, or Simply Playing It Down? The Impact of Crowd Affiliations on LGBT Emerging Adults' Socioemotional and Academic Adjustment to College.

Although peer crowd affiliations have been studied among emerging adults in college, this work has yet to focus in on LGBT-identifying students. Accordingly, the current study a) surveyed the peer crowd landscape using a sample of 234 LGBT students (Mage = 19.89, SD = 1.55; 70.51% female, 18.38% male, 11.11% other) at a small, private, liberal arts college in Southern California, and b) explored the relationships between self-reported peer crowd affiliations and LGBT students' adjustment (i.e., loneliness, belongingness, and academic-, alcohol-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors). Results point to the existence of four underlying peer crowd dimensions among LGBT students: protester, nonvocal, social, and athletic. Furthermore, affiliation with these peer crowds was found to relate to students' self-reported loneliness and academic-, drug-, and sex-risk behaviors.

Transgender people living with HIV: characteristics and comparison to homosexual and heterosexual cisgender patients in two Italian teaching hospitals.

Regarding people living with HIV (PLHIV), little is known about the epidemiological characteristics and management decisions for transgender individuals. This retrospective study compared transgender and cisgender (homosexual and heterosexual) PLHIV at both the S. Maria della Misericordia of Perugia and Careggi of Firenze Teaching Hospitals from 2000 to 2018. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to analyse possible relationships between viral suppression (dependent variable) and age, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and hepatitis diagnosis (independent variables). After analysing and comparing epidemiological and clinical data for 124 transgender, 180 homosexual cisgender and 188 heterosexual cisgender PLHIV, we found that transgender PLHIV, mostly Latin American sex workers, were more likely to have other STIs. Likewise, this subgroup, on average, was younger at the time of HIV diagnosis and more likely to be less adherent to care, consequently jeopardizing the achievement of viral suppression. Finally, the use of hormone therapy and gender confirmation surgery in transgender PLHIV contributed to specific management issues. To date, major attention has focused on studying the epidemiological characteristics of homosexual and heterosexual PLHIV. Our analysis found that transgender PLHIV were the least likely group to be adequately retained in the continuum of care and presented specific issues in part due to social and behavioural realities.