Health

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Poppers Pose ‘Low Risk’ of Addiction or Negative Impact on LGBTI Lives

Alkyl nitrites, commonly known as poppers, pose very little chance of addiction, risky consumption habits or other psychosocial problems. Many LGBTI people, but especially gay and bisexual men use poppers for recreational purposes or to enhance sex. A new study found little evidence of typical dependency characteristics, including health, social, legal and financial problems. It also found no correlation between popper use and mental health or psychological stress. Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) surveyed more than 800 men aged 18 to 35. Lead researcher Dr Daniel Demant, welcomed the decision by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to […]

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Trans Activists Denounce Mental Health Assessments

Doctors should ditch the requirement for a mental health assessment of transgender teens and adults before prescribing them hormone treatment, argues an activist and bioethicist, drawing on their own personal experience in the Journal of Medical Ethics, MedicalXPress reports.  The practice is dehumanizing, unjustified and turns the process of transformation into the treatment of a mental illness, says Florence Ashley of McGill University, Montreal, Canada. It should instead be replaced with informed consent, which respects a patient’s lived experience and autonomy, they insist, MedicalXPress reports.  The informed consent approach is becoming more common, they acknowledge. But many doctors still require an assessment and referral […]

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Gay and Bi Men Experience Erectile Dysfunction more than Straight Men

Gay and bisexual men experience erectile dysfunction at a higher rate than their heterosexual counterparts. New UK research found that 56% of gay or bi men experience erectile dysfunction, whereas only 46% of straight men do. For one in four gay or bi men, it’s an issue most or every time they’re with a partner. Of those men, 21% have given up on sex altogether. The research conducted by Intrinsic Insight also found that psychological factors often cause erectile dysfunction. The study surveyed 2,000 men in the UK, 150 of whom identified as gay or bisexual. Gay and bi men feel that […]

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Transgender Man Receives $93,000 Healthcare Bill after Suicide Attempt

A transgender man has received an enormous bill of $93,000 for eight nights spent in a medical centre after a suicide attempt. Oliver Jordan—who is from Tulsa, Oklahoma—posted a photo of the bill on Twitter,which has since gone viral, amassing more than 30,000 likes and retweets. He captioned the photo: “This is how expensive it is to attempt suicide in the US.” Oliver Jordan said the bill left him feeling ‘hopeless’ Jordan told the New York Post that he is lucky to have health insurance—which means that the amount he has to pay is $2,850 instead of $93,000. Despite this, he said that he will […]

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Transgender Adults Have Higher Risk of Poor Health, U.S. Study Finds

Transgender adults may be more likely to have unhealthy habits and medical issues that negatively impact their quality of life than people whose gender identity matches what it says on their birth certificates, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined survey data from 3,075 transgender adults as well as 719,567 adults who are cisgender, meaning their gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. Compared to cisgender Americans, transgender individuals were more likely to be sedentary, current smokers, and uninsured, researchers report in JAMA Internal Medicine. Related NBC OUT Michigan adoption agency reverses LGBTQ policy Transgender people were also […]

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‘Surprising’ Research Finds STIs among PrEP Users not Linked to Condom Use

People on PrEP are at risk of acquiring STIs, but it is not because they’re using condoms less new research shows. Researchers found a 20% increase in the rates of new STIs among people on a PrEP trial in the Australian state of Victoria called PrEPX. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a proven effective HIV preventative medication. The study included 2,981 mainly gay and bisexual men. Researchers published their results in the Journal of the American Medical Association. They found there was an increased risk of acquiring an STI while on PrEP compared to before starting PrEP. But they also found there was […]

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ForLikeMinds Launches First Online Peer-based Support Community Dedicated to Mental Illness and Substance Use for LGBTQ+ Community

Ahead of Pride Day 2019, ForLikeMinds.com  (www.forlikeminds.com) is pleased to announce that it has launched the first online peer-based support community dedicated to mental illness and substance use conditions in the LGBTQ+ community.  ForLikeMinds empowers members to connect and communicate one-on-one and in groups to support, inform, and inspire each other’s recovery from mental illness and substance use.  Recovery is not a cure, but living a full and meaningful life with mental illness. ForLikeMinds was inspired by the recovery journey of its founder Katherine Ponte, who was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder over 15 years ago.  It also reflects the experiences of her spouse and main […]

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US Bisexual Veterans More Likely to be at Risk for Depression and PTSD

Recent research shed a light on the alarming reality of bisexual service members and veterans. According to MedicalXPress, US service members and veterans who identify as bisexual may be at higher risk for mental health issues than their gay, lesbian or straight peers. Bisexual individuals represent the largest segment of the LGBTI community. Interestingly, both bi men and women are overrepresented among those who have served in the military, MedicalXPress further reports. The research is led by Katie McNamara, a US Air Force captain and third-year doctoral student at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. McNamara has identified […]

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Med Students Push for More LGBTI Health Training

Sarah Spiegel, a third-year med student at New York Medical College, is pushing for more comprehensive LGBTI health training. After being disappointed in the brief information about LGBTI health given to her in her first year of med school, Spiegel decided to make a change. By her second year, she became president of the school’s LGBT Advocacy in Medicine Club. Spiegel and a group of peers approached the administration about the lack of LGBTI content in the curriculum. According to Spiegel, the administration was ‘amazingly receptive’ to the idea. Thus, the school went from an hour and half of LGBTI-focused […]

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Planned Parenthood Introduces New Programs for Gay Men and Trans People

Planned Parenthood, the 102-year-old organization providing sexual health care, is expanding their mission. The organization is introducing programs specifically for gay men and trans people. Tell me more For gay men, Planned Parenthood (PP) is now offering PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). This is a type of regimented medication to prevent HIV infection. ‘We’ve just started doing PrEP fairly recently,’ Phebe Brandt, a Philadelphia-based Planned Parenthood clinician, told Philadelphia Gay News. ‘We do all the counseling around it,’ Brandt continues. ‘We do all the testing that’s necessary, we actually provide prescriptions. And if people don’t have insurance and need to go through the program […]

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