Gay App Use, Sexuality Traits, and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: Mediation Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gay geosocial networking apps, also known as "gay apps," have gained increasing popularity in the men who have sex with men (MSM) community. Certain sexuality traits and gay app use are both associated with high-risk sexual behaviors among MSM. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism of such relationships. OBJECTIVE: Based on the uses and gratifications theory, this study aimed to test the mediation effect of gay app use on the relationship between sexuality traits (sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking) and high-risk sexual behaviors (multiple sexual partners and unprotected anal intercourse) among MSM. METHODS: A cross-sectional, multicenter study was conducted in Wuhan and Changsha, China, from August to October 2020. A representative sample of 402 MSM was recruited through respondent-driven sampling. A self-administered web-based structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic information, high-risk sexual behaviors, gay app use, sexual compulsivity, and sexual sensation seeking. Path analysis was conducted to assess the mediation effect. RESULTS: Our study revealed that 67.42% (n=271) of MSM used gay apps for seeking potential sexual partners, with 37.06% (n=149) of them engaging in unprotected anal intercourse, and 45.42% (n=218) of them having multiple sexual partners. Of the participants, 17.16% (n=69) reported significant sexual compulsivity, while 29.10% (n=117) reported significant sexual sensation seeking. Notably, gay app usage partially mediated the relationship between sexual compulsivity and multiple sexual partners but fully mediated the relationship between sexual compulsivity and unprotected anal intercourse. Furthermore, gay app usage partially mediated the relationship between sexual sensation seeking and multiple sexual partners but fully mediated the relationship between sexual sensation seeking and unprotected anal intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: High-risk sexual behaviors are common among MSM. Most MSM rely on gay apps to find sexual partners, which, when combined with higher levels of sexual compulsivity and sexual sensation seeking, can increase the likelihood of engaging in high-risk sexual behaviors. Therefore, interventions aimed at reducing these behaviors among MSM should focus on addressing the use of gay apps, while also considering the influence of their sexuality traits on gay app use.

The Changes and the Predictors of Suicidal Ideation Among HIV-positive Sexual Minority Men: A Five-year Longitudinal Study from China.

This study aimed to explore whether there were differences in suicidal ideation at different time points among sexual minority men (SMM) within five years of HIV diagnosis, and to investigate the influence of time and psychosocial variables on suicidal ideation. This was a five-year follow-up study focusing on the suicidal ideation among HIV-positive SMM who were recruited when they were newly diagnosed with HIV. Suicidal ideation and psychosocial characteristics including depression, anxiety, HIV-related stress, and social support were assessed within one month, the first year, and the fifth year after HIV diagnosis. A total of 197 SMM newly diagnosed with HIV completed three-time point surveys in this study. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 27.4%, 15.7%, and 23.9% at one month, the first year, and the fifth year after HIV diagnosis, respectively. The risk of suicidal ideation was lower in the first year than baseline, but there was no significant difference between the fifth year and baseline. Emotional stress and objective support independently predicted suicidal ideation and they had interactions with time. The suicidal ideation of SMM newly diagnosed with HIV decreased in the first year and then increased in the fifth year, not showing a sustained decline trend in a longer trajectory of HIV diagnosis. Stress management, especially long-term stress assessment and management with a focus on emotional stress should be incorporated into HIV health care in an appropriate manner. In addition, social support should also be continuously provided to this vulnerable population.

Asthma disparities and within-group differences in a national, probability sample of same-sex partnered adults.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the prevalence and correlates of self-reported lifetime diagnosis of asthma and current asthma among same-sex and opposite-sex partnered adults. METHODS: Data were from the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, in which same-sex partnership was a response option to a family planning item in the core questionnaire. Self-reported lifetime diagnosis of asthma and current asthma were examined in logistic regression models adjusted for demographic characteristics and asthma-related confounding factors and stratified by both gender and same-sex partnership status. RESULTS: Significantly higher proportions of same-sex partnered male and female respondents reported lifetime and current asthma compared with their opposite-sex partnered peers. In adjusted analyses, same-sex partnership status remained significantly associated with asthma outcomes among men and women, with odds ratios ranging from 1.57 to 2.34. CONCLUSIONS: Results corroborated past studies that indicated asthma disproportionately affects sexual minority populations. The addition of sexual minority status questions to federal survey projects is key to further exploring health disparities in this population. Future studies are needed to investigate the etiology of this disparity.

Prevalence and Disparities in the Detection of Autism Without Intellectual Disability.

BACKGROUND: Intellectual ability predicts functional outcomes for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is essential to classify ASD children with and without intellectual disability (ID) to aid etiological research, provide services, and inform evidence-based educational and health planning. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional study design, data from 2000 to 2016 active ASD surveillance among 8-year-olds residing in the New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area were analyzed to determine ASD prevalence with and without ID. Multivariable Poisson regression models were used to identify trends for ASD with ID (ASD-I) and without ID (ASD-N). RESULTS: Overall, 4661 8-year-olds were identified with ASD. Those that were ASI-I were 1505 (32.3%) and 2764 (59.3%) were ASD-N. Males were 3794 (81.4%), 946 (20.3%) were non-Hispanic Black (Black), 1230 (26.4%) were Hispanic, and 2114 (45.4%) were non-Hispanic white (white). We observed 2-fold and 5-fold increases in the prevalence of ASD-I and ASD-N, respectively, from 2000-2016. Black children were 30% less likely to be identified with ASD-N compared with white children. Children residing in affluent areas were 80% more likely to be identified with ASD-N compared with children in underserved areas. A greater proportion of children with ASD-I resided in vulnerable areas compared with children with ASD-N. Males had higher prevalence compared with females regardless of ID status; however, male-to-female ratios were slightly lower among ASD-I compared with ASD-N cases. CONCLUSIONS: One-in-3 children with ASD had ID. Disparities in the identification of ASD without ID were observed among Black and Hispanic children as well as among children residing in underserved areas.

Suicidal ideation among sexual minority veterans: results from the 2005-2010 Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey.

Suicide is a public health problem disproportionately associated with some demographic characteristics (e.g., sexual orientation, veteran status). Analyses of the Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data revealed that more lesbian, gay, and bisexual (i.e., sexual minority) veterans reported suicidal ideation compared with heterosexual veterans. Decreased social and emotional support contributed to explaining the association between sexual minority status and suicidal ideation. More research is needed about suicide risk among sexual minority veterans; they might be a population for outreach and intervention by the Veterans Health Administration.

Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in a large, diverse metropolitan area: Variation by sociodemographic factors.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence estimates have varied by region. In this study, ASD prevalence, based on active case finding from multiple sources, was determined at the county and school district levels in the New Jersey metropolitan area. Among children born in 2008, residing in a four-county area and enrolled in public school in 2016, ASD prevalence was estimated to be 36 per 1000, but was significantly higher in one region-54 per 1000 and greater than 70 per 1000, in multiple school districts. Significant variation in ASD prevalence by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and school district size was identified. Highest prevalence was in mid-SES communities, contrary to expectation. Prevalence among Hispanic children was lower than expected, indicating a disparity in identification. Comprehensive surveillance should provide estimates at the county and town levels to appreciate ASD trends, identify disparities in detection or treatment, and explore factors influencing change in prevalence. LAY SUMMARY: We found autism prevalence to be 3.6% in New Jersey overall, but higher in one region (5.4%) and in multiple areas approaching 7.0%. We identified significant variation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) prevalence by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES) and school district size. Mapping prevalence in smaller, well-specified, regions may be useful to better understand the true scope of ASD, disparities in ASD detection and the factors impacting ASD prevalence estimation.

Disparities in Early Intervention Program Participation by Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in a US Metropolitan Area, 2006 to 2016.

Importance: Multiple studies have shown the value of early interventions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the US, the Early Intervention Program (EIP) is mandated by law (Part C of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]) to provide services to all young children with delays or disabilities. However, the extent to which children with ASD participate in this key service system is unknown. Objectives: To evaluate EIP use by children with ASD from 2006 to 2016 and to describe the factors associated with EIP participation. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used repeated data collected from 2006 to 2016 by active ASD surveillance of the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area as reported in the New Jersey Autism Study. The New Jersey Autism Study identified 4050 children aged 8 years with ASD from 2006 to 2016. Demographic and clinical data were collected and participation in an EIP was assessed through active surveillance. Data were analyzed from June to December 2021. Exposure: Sociodemographic factors associated with the outcome of EIP participation. Main Outcomes and Measures: Participation in an EIP assessed at age 8 years. Demographic, ecological, and clinical factors, as well as temporal patterns, were examined by using standard and multilevel logistic regression models. Results: Among 4050 children aged 8 years with ASD by active surveillance, 1887 (46.6%) received EIP services. Of these children, 3303 (81.6%) were boys; 1105 (27.3%) were Hispanic, 801 (19.8%) were non-Hispanic Black, 1816 (44.8%) were non-Hispanic White, and 328 (8.1%) were non-Hispanic other (included Alaska Native or American Indian and Asian or Pacific Islander). In adjusted regression models, non-Hispanic Black children with ASD had lower odds of EIP participation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54-0.84) compared with their non-Hispanic White peers, and children residing in affluent areas had higher odds of receiving EIP services (AOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.36-2.15) compared with children residing in underserved areas. Children with ASD born in 2008 had higher odds of EIP participation than children born in 1998 (AOR, 2.64; 95% CI, 2.07-3.36). Conclusions and Relevance: Early identification of ASD is an important public health priority and receipt of EIP services may improve ASD outcomes. Approximately half of the population of children aged 8 years with ASD received EIP services between 2006 and 2016, and EIP participation by children with ASD increased during the 10-year period. However, receipt of EIP services was marked by strong socioeconomic status- and race and ethnicity-based disparities. Universal ASD screening and additional strategies are needed to address disparities and to increase access to EIP services.

The Disparities in Mental Health between Gay and Bisexual Men Following Positive HIV Diagnosis in China: A One-Year Follow-Up Study.

This study aimed to determine the change in mental health (depression and anxiety) among HIV-positive gay and bisexual men (GBM) one year after diagnosis and the disparities in trajectories of mental health between them. The potential factors contributing to the disparities were also investigated. This was a one-year follow-up study focusing on the mental health of newly diagnosed HIV-positive individuals. Participants rated their depression, anxiety, stress, and social support levels at baseline and one year later. Information on the utilization of mental healthcare and the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) after diagnosis was collected at one-year follow-up. A total of 171 and 87 HIV-positive gay and bisexual men, respectively, completed two-time points surveys in this study. The depressive and anxiety symptoms experienced by HIV-positive GBM improvement one year after diagnosis. These improvements tended to be smaller in gay participants. Other factors including mental health care utilization and ART status during the one-year follow-up period, changes in social stress scores and objective social support scores were also associated with the changes in depression and anxiety, and all these factors, except for change in objective support, were found to be statistically different between HIV-positive GBM. Special attention should be given to the mental health of HIV-positive gay men. Promoting HIV-positive gay men to assess to mental health services and ART may be important for these populations to improve mental health. Enhancing social support and reducing stress levels may also be necessary for the vulnerable HIV-positive sexual minority groups.

Prevalence of depression, anxiety and suicide among men who have sex with men in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk for depression, anxiety and suicide. The estimated prevalence of these problems is essential to guide public health policy, but published results vary. This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and suicide among Chinese MSM. METHODS: Systematic searches of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, CNKI and Wanfang databases with languages restricted to Chinese and English for studies published before 10 September 2019 on the prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts among Chinese MSM. Studies that were published in the peer-reviewed journals and used validated instruments to assess depression and anxiety were included. The characteristics of studies and the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms, suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts were independently extracted by authors. Random-effects modelling was used to estimate the pooled rates. Subgroup analysis and univariate meta-regression were conducted to explore potential sources of heterogeneity. This study followed the PRISMA and MOOSE. RESULTS: Sixty-seven studies were included. Fifty-two studies reported the prevalence of depressive symptoms, with a combined sample of 37 376 people, of whom 12 887 [43.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 38.9-47.5] reported depressive symptoms. Twenty-seven studies reported the prevalence of anxiety symptoms, with a combined sample of 10 531 people, of whom 3187 (32.2%; 95% CI, 28.3-36.6) reported anxiety symptoms. Twenty-three studies reported the prevalence of suicidal ideation, with a combined sample of 15 034 people, of whom 3416 (21.2%; 95% CI, 18.3-24.5) had suicidal ideation. Nine studies reported the prevalence of suicide plans, with a combined sample of 5271 people, of whom 401 (6.2%; 95% CI, 3.9-8.6) had suicide plans. Finally, 19 studies reported the prevalence of suicide attempts, with a combined sample of 27 936 people, of whom 1829 (7.3%; 95% CI, 5.6-9.0) had attempted suicide. CONCLUSIONS: The mental health of Chinese MSM is poor compared with the general population. Efforts are warranted to develop interventions to prevent and alleviate mental health problems among this vulnerable population.

Suboptimal Recent and Regular HIV Testing Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the United States: Implications From a Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The continuum of HIV care among black men who have sex with men (BMSM) continues to be the least favorable in the United States. BMSM are disproportionally HIV-infected-but-unaware, despite expanded HIV testing efforts among this subgroup. METHODS: We meta-analytically analyzed various HIV testing patterns [lifetime, after 24 months, after 12 months, after 6 months, and frequent (every 3-6 months) testing] among BMSM using the PRISMA guideline. PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched for relevant articles, reports, conference proceedings, and dissertations published between January 1, 1996, and April 25, 2018. Two independent investigators reviewed and abstracted data into a standardized form. We used the DerSimonian-Laird random-effect model to pool the HIV testing prevalence and I-square statistics to measure heterogeneity. Funnel plots and Egger tests were used to assess for publication bias. We also performed subgroup and meta-regression analyses to explore aggregate-level characteristics that explain the heterogeneity across studies. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis includes a total of 42,074 BMSM pooled from 67 studies. Lifetime HIV testing prevalence was high, 88.2% [95% confidence interval (CI): 86.2% to 90.1%], but recent (after 6 months = 63.4%; 95% CI: 59.3% to 67.4%) and frequent (42.2%, 95% CI: 34.1% to 50.3%) HIV testing prevalence was low. Meta-regression suggests that younger age (borderline significant), lower annual income, and homelessness were correlated with lower lifetime/recent HIV testing prevalence; while ever having condomless insertive/receptive sex, alcohol consumption, and illicit drug use were associated with higher lifetime/recent HIV testing prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: Recent and frequent HIV testing remains suboptimal among BMSM. Future testing programs should prioritize strategies to enhance self-initiated, regular HIV testing among BMSM.

Attitude towards Mental Illness among Primary Healthcare Providers: A Community-Based Study in Rural China.

OBJECTIVE: There are no studies that have explored attitudes towards mental illness that are held by rural primary healthcare (PHC) providers. The aim of this study was to conduct evidential and comparative research about attitudes towards mental illness among primary healthcare providers from different mental health service models in China rural communities. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was conducted with a total of 361 rural primary healthcare providers engaged in mental health service delivery. RESULTS: Total attitude score mark of rural primary healthcare providers shows that most PHC providers still held pessimistic and negative attitude towards mental illness patients. 71.3% of respondents agreed that "the mental patients often impulsively perform destruction of property"; 72.9% agreed that "mental patients are burdens to the families and society." There are also positive correlations between attitudes and abilities of primary healthcare providers to mental illness. CONCLUSION: This study provides baseline evidence that primary healthcare providers in rural China hold negative attitudes towards mental illness. It is critical to improve negative attitudes and understanding about the importance of the management of severe mental illness among rural primary healthcare workers in mental health services. We should take comprehensive methods to enrich primary healthcare providers' professional knowledge about mental illness and eliminate discrimination and inappropriate perception against the mental illness.

Suicidal and Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Youth in an Online Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning Social Network.

LGBTQ youth have a great burden for suicidal ideation/behavior compared to their non-LGBTQ peers. While scholars have explored risk factors for suicidal behaviors, little is known about protective factors among LGBTQ youth, let alone within group differences in terms of help-seeking. Data were collected from 203 TrevorSpace (e.g., a social network for LGBTQ youth) users via online survey to examine suicidal and help-seeking behaviors among LGBTQ individuals. Among participants who reported suicidal ideation/behavior, a large proportion did not seek help (73.1% of gay men, 33.3% of bisexual men, 42.9% of bisexual women, 14.3% of lesbian women, 41.2% of queer individuals) when they considered or attempted suicide. Among those who sought support, reaching out to a friend was most common. However, family support was associated with fewer suicidal behaviors. Our findings underscore the need to examine the effectiveness of specific sources of help and the impact of exposure to social connectedness.

Sexual orientation and risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults.

Same-gender sexual orientation has been repeatedly shown to exert an independent influence on suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, suggesting that risk factors and markers may differ in relative importance between lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals and others. Analyses of recent data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health revealed that lesbian, gay, and bisexual respondents reported higher rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than did heterosexual respondents and that drug use and depression were associated with adverse outcomes among heterosexual respondents but not among lesbian, gay, and bisexual respondents.

The Mental Health of People Living with HIV in China, 1998-2014: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the mental health burdens faced by people living with HIV in China is instrumental in the development of successful targeted programs for psychological support and care. METHODS: Using multiple Chinese and English literature databases, we conducted a systematic review of observational research (cross-sectional, case-control, or cohort) published between 1998 and 2014 on the mental health of people living with HIV in China. RESULTS: We identified a total of 94 eligible articles. A broad range of instruments were used across studies. Depression was the most widely studied problem; the majority of studies reported prevalence greater than 60% across research settings, with indications of a higher prevalence among women than men. Rates of anxiety tended to be greater than 40%. Findings regarding the rates of suicidality, HIV-related neurocognitive disorders, and substance use were less and varied. Only one study investigated posttraumatic stress disorder and reported a prevalence of 46.2%. Conflicting results about health and treatment related factors of mental health were found across studies. CONCLUSIONS: Despite limitations, this review confirmed that people living with HIV are vulnerable to mental health problems, and there is substantial need for mental health services among this population.

Are Informing Knowledge and Supportive Attitude Enough for Tobacco Control? A Latent Class Analysis of Cigarette Smoking Patterns among Medical Teachers in China.

BACKGROUND: This study is one part of a five-year tobacco-control project in China, which aimed to gain insight into the smoking behavior, knowledge, and attitudes among medical teachers in China. METHODS: In May 2010, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical teachers of Xiangya Medical School, Central South University, China. RESULTS: A total number of 682 medical teachers completed the surveys. Latent class analysis indicated the sample of smoking patterns was best represented by three latent subgroups of smoking consumption severity levels. Most respondents were informed of smoking related knowledge, but lack of knowledge on smoking cessation. Most of them held a supportive attitude towards their responsibilities among tobacco control, as well as the social significance of smoking. However, both smoking related knowledge and attitude were not correlated with severity of smoking consumption among medical teachers. CONCLUSION: The smoking prevalence among medical teachers in China remains high. Programs on smoking cessation training are required. Future study should also develop targeted interventions for subgroups of smokers based on smoking consumption. Persistent and effective anti-tobacco efforts are needed to achieve the goals of creating smoke-free campuses and hospitals.

Social Structure and Depression in TrevorSpace.

We discover patterns related to depression in the social graph of an online community of approximately 20,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. With survey data on fewer than two hundred community members and the network graph of the entire community (which is completely anonymous except for the survey responses), we detected statistically significant correlations between a number of graph properties and those TrevorSpace users showing a higher likelihood of depression, according to the Patient Healthcare Questionnaire-9, a standard instrument for estimating depression. Our results suggest that those who are less depressed are more deeply integrated into the social fabric of TrevorSpace than those who are more depressed. Our techniques may apply to other hard-to-reach online communities, like gay men on Facebook, where obtaining detailed information about individuals is difficult or expensive, but obtaining the social graph is not.

Health inequalities among sexual minority adults: evidence from ten U.S. states, 2010.

BACKGROUND: Improving the health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals is a Healthy People 2020 goal; however, the IOM highlighted the paucity of information currently available about LGB populations. PURPOSE: To compare health indicators by gender and sexual orientation statuses. METHODS: Data are from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys conducted January-December of 2010 with population-based samples of non-institutionalized U.S. adults aged over 18 years (N=93,414) in ten states that asked about respondents' sexual orientation (response rates=41.1%-65.6%). Analyses were stratified by gender and sexual orientation to compare indicators of mental health, physical health, risk behaviors, preventive health behaviors, screening tests, health care utilization, and medical diagnoses. Analyses were conducted in March 2013. RESULTS: Overall, 2.4% (95% CI=2.2, 2.7) of the sample identified as LGB. All sexual minority groups were more likely to be current smokers than their heterosexual peers. Compared with heterosexual women, lesbian women had more than 30% decreased odds of having an annual routine physical exam, and bisexual women had more than 2.5 times the odds of not seeking medical care owing to cost. Compared with heterosexual men, gay men were less likely to be overweight or obese, and bisexual men were twice as likely to report a lifetime asthma diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study represents one of the largest samples of LGB adults and finds important health inequalities, including that bisexual women bear particularly high burdens of health disparities. Further work is needed to identify causes of and intervention for these disparities.

Physical health indicators among lesbian, gay, and bisexual U.S. veterans.

PURPOSE: To provide information about lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) veterans' health status, diagnoses, and health screening behaviors compared with heterosexual veterans. METHODS: Data are from 10 states' 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys that contained sexual orientation data for veterans (n = 11,665). χ(2) tests and multiple logistic regression were used to examine outcomes among LGB and heterosexual veterans. RESULTS: More LGB than heterosexual veterans reported current smoking, not seeking medical care owing to cost, and activity limitations. Compared with heterosexual veterans, LGB veterans had greater odds of ever having an human immunodeficiency virus test (odds ratio [OR], 5.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.28-8.96) but lower odds of diabetes diagnosis (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34-0.89). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this sample suggest patterns of health behaviors and outcomes among LGB veterans that are both unique from and similar to results from general samples of LGB persons. With the formal end of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that discriminated against LGB people in the military, institutions such as the Department of Veterans Affairs are likely to see an increase in its current population of LGB veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs stands in a unique place to meet the health equity needs of this minority population.

Connecting the invisible dots: reaching lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescents and young adults at risk for suicide through online social networks.

Young lesbian, gay, and bisexual (young LGB) individuals report higher rates of suicide ideation and attempts from their late teens through early twenties. Their high rate of Internet use suggests that online social networks offer a novel opportunity to reach them. This study explores online social networks as a venue for prevention research targeting young LGB. An automated data collection program was used to map the social connections between LGB self-identified individuals between 16 and 24 years old participating in an online social network. We then completed a descriptive analysis of the structural characteristics known to affect diffusion within such networks. Finally, we conducted Monte Carlo simulations of peer-driven diffusion of a hypothetical preventive intervention within the observed network under varying starting conditions. We mapped a network of 100,014 young LGB. The mean age was 20.4 years. The mean nodal degree was 137.5, representing an exponential degree distribution ranging from 1 through 4309. Monte Carlo simulations revealed that a peer-driven preventive intervention ultimately reached final sample sizes of up to 18,409 individuals. The network's structure is consistent with other social networks in terms of the underlying degree distribution. Such networks are typically formed dynamically through a process of preferential attachment. This implies that some individuals could be more important to target to facilitate the diffusion of interventions. However, in terms of determining the success of an intervention targeting this population, our simulation results suggest that varying the number of peers that can be recruited is more important than increasing the number of randomly-selected starting individuals. This has implications for intervention design. Given the potential to access this previously isolated population, this novel approach represents a promising new frontier in suicide prevention and other research areas.