From thinkprogress.org:

A new study from the University of Michigan has found that simply overhearing the expression “that’s so gay” used to describe something in a disparaging way can have negative consequences for gay, lesbian, or bisexual students. Practically every college student interviewed for the study had heard “that’s so gay” at least once in the past year, with more than half hearing it with much more frequency. Those who heard it more frequently were more likely to report feelings of isolation, as well as negative health symptoms, such as headaches, poor appetite, or eating problems.

Study author Michael Woodford, assistant professor of social work at U-M, describes the results: “Given the nature of gay-lesbian-bisexual stigma, sexual minority students could already perceive themselves to be excluded on campus and earing “that’s so gay” may elevate such perceptions. “That’s so gay” conveys that there is something wrong with being gay.  And, hearing such messages about one’s self can cause stress, which can manifest in headaches and other health concerns.”

Read the full post on thinkprogress.org.

From the The Advocate:

The Centers for Disease Control has launched the largest survey ever conducted by a federal agency for gay and bisexual men in the United States at SexistheQuestion.org. According to HRC, Sex in the Question will also make a monetary donation to the It Gets Better Project for every survey complete.

The survey is aimed at understanding men’s sexual behaviors and health and finding ways to deal with STD and HIV transmission among men who have sex with men.

A quick online survey, Sex Is the Question is also one of the first surveys to provide immediate feedback based on participants answers so you know how you compare to other men who are taking the survey as well.

To take the survey and send money to It Gets Better, click here.

From G PHILLY online:

In May, President Obama came out in support of gay marriage. And while it’s a big step for the LGBT community, not everyone is quite so supportive (remember that recent legislation in North Carolina?). That’s why the Healthy Development Lab at Rutgers University in Camden has been studying diversity in adult relationships for nearly a decade now.

For the most recent study, the university is seeking gay male couples to better understand how men’s same-sex partners influence their health, especially their eating behaviors.

Very little research, says Rutgers, has examined men and their same-sex partners in relation to health, nutrition and well being. The study lasts two hours – and couples get paid $100.

“Participants in our research routinely say that the experience is fun, interesting and provides an opportunity to learn more about their partners,” says Hanna Garrity, a spokesperson for the study.

If you or a gay male couple you know are interested, click here to apply for the study. Or email the lab directly: RUHealthyLab@gmail.com

A post from MedlinePlus.com:

The stigma and inequalities that lesbian, gay and bisexual people face on a daily basis can increase their stress level and affect their well-being, according to a new study.

“Imagine living life anticipating exclusion from your friends, family and professional circles simply because of who you are and who you love — that resulting stress takes a toll on one’s life and health,” said the study’s co-author, Ilan Meyer, of the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law.

The researchers set out to determine how stress resulting from daily, non-traumatic events, such as isolation at work and estrangement from families, affected 57 lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) people. The researchers were interested in everyday occurrences,  rather than overt abuse or hate crimes.

Black and Hispanic study participants reported the stress from homophobia, racism and sexism led to certain missed life opportunities, including educational advancement, and less self-confidence.

“For members of minority groups, day-to-day life experiences that may seem minor to others can and do have significant and lasting impact on one’s well-being,” said Meyer. “The idea that simply walking out your door will expose you to societal rejection and stigma creates a climate of stress that can lead to detrimental, long-term consequences.”

To read the full article, go to MedlinePlus.com.

The study was recently published online in Sexuality Research and Social Policy.

Press release from UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh:

PITTSBURGH, June 22, 2011 – Young people who identify themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual, experience same-sex attractions or engage in same-sex sexual ehaviors are more likely to experience sexual abuse, parental physical abuse and bullying from peers than other youth, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study.

In addition, these adolescents – identified as “sexual minority youth” in the study – are more likely to miss school due to fear. The American Public Health Association recently published the findings online; the study will appear in the August issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

“The higher rates of abuse experienced by sexual minority youths are clearly one of the driving mechanisms underlying higher rates of mental health problems, substance use, risky sexual behavior and HIV by sexual minority adolescents and adults,” said Mark S. riedman, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences. “However, I cannot stress enough that these youth experience sexual and physical abuse and bullying because they identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual or experience same-sex attraction; abuse does not ‘cause’ sexual orientation or identification.”

Go to the UPMC Media Relations Website for the full press release.

A recent national study of American high school students finds that those who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to take unhealthy risks.

The study, conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, used national survey data from 2001-2009. It found that rates of smoking, drinking or other drug use, risky sexual behaviors, suicidal behaviors and violence were higher among gay or bisexual teens than among their straight peers

“This report should be a wake-up call for families, schools and communities that we need to do a much better job of supporting these young people. Any effort to promote adolescent health and safety must take into account the additional stressors these youth experience because of their sexual orientation, such as stigma, discrimination and victimization,” Howell Wechsler, director of CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH), said in an agency news release. “We are very concerned that these students face such dramatic disparities for so many different health risks.”

The findings were published in the CDC’s journal, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. You can read more about the report on the Advocate.com, Time.com, and  CNN.com.

Press release from HIV Prevention Trials Network:

Thursday, 12 May 2011, 11 am EST
Washington, DC

Initiation of Antiretroviral Treatment Protects Uninfected Sexual Partners from HIV Infection (HPTN Study 052)

Men and women infected with HIV reduced the risk of transmitting the virus to their sexual partners through initiation of oral antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to findings from a large multinational clinical study conducted by the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN), a global partnership dedicated to reducing the transmission of HIV through cutting-edge biomedical, behavioral, and structural interventions.

The study, known as HPTN 052, was designed to evaluate whether immediate versus delayed use of ART by HIV-infected individuals would reduce transmission of HIV to their HIV-uninfected partners and potentially benefit the HIV-infected individual as well. Findings from the study were reviewed by an independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB).The DSMB recommended that the results be released as soon as possible and that the findings be shared with study participants and investigators. The DSMB concluded that initiation of ART by HIV-infected individuals substantially protected their HIV-uninfected sexual partners from acquiring HIV infection, with a 96 percent reduction in risk of HIV transmission. HPTN 052 is the first randomized clinical trial to show that treating an HIV-infected individual with ART can reduce the risk of sexual transmission of HIV to an uninfected partner.

“This is excellent news,” said Dr. Myron Cohen, HPTN 052 Principal Investigator and Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Health and Director of the Institute of Global Health and Infectious Diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “The study was designed to evaluate the benefit to the sexual partner as well as the benefit to the HIV-infected person. This is the first randomized clinical trial to definitively indicate that an HIV-infected individual can reduce sexual transmission of HIV to an uninfected partner by beginning antiretroviral therapy sooner. HPTN recognizes the significant contribution that this study’s participants have made to furthering the progress in HIV treatment and prevention. We are very grateful for their participation.”

Media inquiries:

Matt Matassa
703.647.1909
mmatassa@fhi.org

From the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association…

Washington, DC – The Institute of Medicine today released its long-awaited report, The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding. The National Institutes of Health commissioned this groundbreaking report, and a distinguished panel of experts dedicated more than a year to evaluating the state of LGBT health research and crafting recommendations for improving the health of the LGBT community.

Read the full report at The National Academies Press Website.

Dr. Ross Cranston was recruited to Pittsburgh in 2007 to create an Anal Dysplasia Clinic at the Pittsburgh AIDS Center for Treatment (PACT). The focus of the clinic, which is also open to non-PACT patients, is to address the high incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV or wart virus).  HPV has been associated with anal cancer in gay men – particularly those living with HIV. 

 “As gay men, we run the risk of serious health issues because we don’t pay enough attention to our butts.”  Dr. Cranston states. “So, one of my goals is to promote an ‘anal agenda’ that increases awareness of the medical conditions gay men are more likely to experience.” Putting the issue into perspective, he adds: “Anal health has yet to emerge as an area to which it is deemed appropriate to direct our attention. As a result, gay men in particular are unaware of their increased risk of many anal diagnoses including those related to sex or sexually transmitted infections, such as the development of anal cancer.”   

Patients with an abnormal anal cytology (a test of anal cells that is used to detect abnormalities) are referred to Dr. Cranston for high-resolution anoscopy (HRA). This office procedure involves examining the anal canal using magnification.  If there is evidence of high-grade dysplasia – the precursor to anal cancer – a biopsy may be performed. If high-grade dysplasia is confirmed, Dr. Cranston can then remove the lesion in order to prevent its potential progression to cancer.

“We are currently diagnosing about one case of anal cancer every 2 weeks,” says Dr. Cranston, “which is why I suggest that gay men who are HIV-positive talk to their clinician about anal dysplasia screening and have an annual anal Pap smear.” Although there are no national screening guidelines, Dr. Cranston notes, it is also suggested that HIV-negative men over 40 get tested every two to three years.

Dr. Cranston is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Disease and the Medical Director of the Pitt Men’s Study.  He began his studies at the University of Edinburgh before moving to London, where he completed a fellowship in HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection. He moved to the U.S. to conduct doctoral research at the University of California—San Francisco and then spent five years working at the UCLA Center for AIDS Research and Education in Los Angeles, where he established and ran the UCLA Anal Dysplasia Clinic. 

For many years, Dr. Cranston has used his knowledge of anal dysplasia, HPV, and HIV to help countless HIV-positive men. He moved to Pittsburgh in September 2007 with his partner of 11 years, Ian McGowan, who is also employed by the University as a Professor in the School of Medicine, and is Co-Principal Investigator of the Pittsburgh-based Microbicide Trials Network. 

For more information about the anal dysplasia clinic, you can call  412-647-0996 .