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Jessica Fish and Bradley Boekeloo win Data Contract to Study LGBTQ Health Disparities
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They are one of the four research groups chosen for the data contract
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News
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Fish editorial published in AJPH
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So-called “conversion therapy” efforts create serious harm for youth that are LGBTQ
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News
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Jessica Fish, UMD Family Science
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Sexual minority population health inequities across the life course: Where do we go from here?
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Coming Up
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Corinne Reczek, Ohio State University
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Who are LGBTQ People?: A Demographic Profile of a Growing Population
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Coming Up
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Health Care Experiences of Black Transgender Women and Men Who Have Sex With Men
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Black sexual and gender minorities (SGM) are at greater risk for HIV compared to their White, cisgender, heterosexual counterparts. Linkage to culturally sensitive health care is, therefore, pivotal for HIV prevention and treatment of Black SGM. Unfortunately, social and structural challenges undermine Black SGM individuals' abilities to obtain adequate health care services, indicating a need to understand Black SGM perceptions of health care. To address this gap, we interviewed Black men who have sex with men and transwomen about their experiences with health care providers. Participants discussed needs and concerns, including provider SGM identity diversity and education; assumptions, judgment, stigma, and discrimination; and ability to establish a personal bond, trust, and familiarity. Black SGM indicated that providers often did not meet their needs in different ways regarding their SGM identities. Findings suggest a need for provider cultural sensitivity education programs that address the needs of Black SGM in health care.
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MPRC People
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Donna E. Howard, Dr.PH.
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Donna E. Howard Publications
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Sexual minority youth less likely to exit foster care
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Jessica Fish and her colleagues published a study presenting sexual minority youth as an overrepresented population in foster care, child welfare and out-of-home placement
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Research
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Selected Research
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Public Health Researchers Win Data Contract to Study LGBTQ Health Disparities
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Access to new dataset opens up research opportunities
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Research
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Selected Research
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Sexual Minority Health Disparities: An Examination of Age-Related Trends Across Adulthood In a National Cross-Sectional Sample
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Purpose: Sexual minorities experience signi fi cant health disparities across a variety of mental, behav ioral, and physical health indicators. Yet, an understanding of the etiology and progression of sexual minority health disparities across the lifespan is limited. Methods: We used the U.S. National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions III to evaluate the association between sexual minority status and seven past-year health outcomes (alcohol use disorder, tobacco use disorder, drug use disorder, major depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, sexually transmitted infection, and cardiovascular conditions). To do this, we used unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression among our study sample (n ¼ 30,999; aged 18 e 65 years) and time- varying effect models to evaluate how sexual orientation differences in these outcomes vary across adulthood. Results: Relative to heterosexuals, sexual minorities had elevated odds of past-year alcohol use disorder and drug use disorder across all ages (18 e 65 years) although the magnitude of the disparity varies by age. Sexual minorities were also more likely to experience major depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, tobacco use disorder, sexually transmitted infection, and cardiovascular disease, but only at speci fi c ages. Conclusions: Sexual minority health disparities vary appreciably across the adult lifespan, thus eluci dating critical periods for focused prevention efforts.
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Retired Persons
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Jessica N Fish, Ph.D.
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Jessica N Fish Publications
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Are sexual minority youth overrepresented in foster care, child welfare, and out-of-home placement? Findings from nationally representative data
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BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence suggests that sexual minority (e.g. lesbian, gay, bisexual, and same-sex attracted) youth are overrepresented in child welfare services. Yet, no study to date has been able to test this hypothesis with national data. OBJECTIVE: Using a two-study design, we test whether sexual minority youth are overrepresented in child welfare, foster care, and out-of-home placement using nationally representative data from the United States. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Study 1 data are from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (n = 14,154; Mean age = 15.4). Study 2 data are from wave three of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II (n = 1309; Mean age = 15.0). METHODS: For Study 1, we use adjusted logistic regression models to test differences in lifetime foster care involvement between sexual minority and heterosexual youth. In Study 2, we calculate a Disproportionality Representation Index (DRI) - a ratio of sample prevalence relative to the general population - to estimate whether sexual minority youth were overrepresented in child welfare and out-of-home care. RESULTS: Study 1 results indicate that sexual minority youth are nearly 2.5 times as likely as heterosexual youth to experience foster care placement (aOR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.40, 4.21, p = .002). Results from Study 2 show that sexual minority youth were largely overrepresented in child welfare services (DRI = 1.95-2.48) and out-of-home placement (DRI = 3.69-4.68). CONCLUSIONS: Findings are the first to demonstrate sexual minority youth's overrepresentation in child welfare, foster care, and out-of-home placement using nationally representative data and emphasizes the need for focused research on sexual minority youth involved in the child welfare system.
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Retired Persons
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Jessica N Fish, Ph.D.
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Jessica N Fish Publications
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Gay‐Straight Alliances, Inclusive Policy, and School Climate: LGBTQ Youths’ Experiences of Social Support and Bullying
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Gay‐Straight Alliances (GSA) and school policies focused on support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning youth may reduce bias‐based bullying and enhance social supports in schools. Using multivariate regression, we tested the relationship between youth reports of the presence of GSAs and LGBTQ‐focused policies, independently and mutually, with experiences bullying and perceived support ( n = 1,061). Youth reported higher classmate support in the presence of GSAs and higher teacher support in the presence of LGBTQ‐focused policies; the presence of both GSAs and LGBTQ‐focused policies was associated with less bullying and higher perceived classmate and teacher support. The findings indicate that GSAs and LGBTQ‐focused policies are distinctly and mutually important for fostering safer and more supportive school climates for youth.
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Retired Persons
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Jessica N Fish, Ph.D.
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Jessica N Fish Publications