scholarly journals Minority Stress, Structural Stigma, and Physical Health Among Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals: Examining the Relative Strength of the Relationships

Author(s):  
Annesa Flentje ◽  
Kristen D Clark ◽  
Ethan Cicero ◽  
Matthew R Capriotti ◽  
Micah E Lubensky ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Sexual and gender minority (SGM; i.e., non-heterosexual and transgender or gender-expansive, respectively) people experience physical health disparities attributed to greater exposure to minority stress (experiences of discrimination or victimization, anticipation of discrimination or victimization, concealment of SGM status, and internalization of stigma) and structural stigma. Purpose To examine which components of minority stress and structural stigma have the strongest relationships with physical health among SGM people. Methods Participants (5,299 SGM people, 1,902 gender minority individuals) were from The Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality (PRIDE) Study. Dominance analyses estimated effect sizes showing how important each component of minority stress and structural stigma was to physical health outcomes. Results Among cisgender sexual minority women, transmasculine individuals, American Indian or Alaskan Native SGM individuals, Asian SGM individuals, and White SGM individuals a safe current environment for SGM people had the strongest relationship with physical health. For gender-expansive individuals and Black, African American, or African SGM individuals, the safety of the environment for SGM people in which they were raised had the strongest relationship with physical health. Among transfeminine individuals, victimization experiences had the strongest relationship with physical health. Among Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish individuals, accepting current environments had the strongest relationship with physical health. Among cisgender sexual minority men prejudice/discrimination experiences had the strongest relationship with physical health. Conclusion Safe community environments had the strongest relationships with physical health among most groups of SGM people. Increasing safety and buffering the effects of unsafe communities are important for SGM health.

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 999-1019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa R. Jonnson ◽  
Brian M. Bird ◽  
Shanna M. Y. Li ◽  
Jodi L. Viljoen

Theoretical models, such as the minority stress model, suggest that sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth may be overrepresented in the justice system. However, few studies have examined rates of SGM youth in the system, and even fewer have compared them with rates of these youth in the broader community. To obtain a more accurate estimate, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 31,258 youths and compared rates of SGM youth in the justice system with those in the community. Contrary to claims that SGM youth are overrepresented generally, this review suggests that sexual minority girls, specifically, are disproportionally involved in the justice system. Rates of involvement appeared to differ across ethnic subgroups of sexual minority youth, and evidence is inconclusive regarding the prevalence of gender minority youth in the system. Implications of these findings for researchers and justice system professionals are discussed.


Author(s):  
Craig Rodriguez-Seijas ◽  
Charles L. Burton ◽  
John E. Pachankis

Sexual and gender minority individuals are at elevated risk of many adverse psychosocial health outcomes, including mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, as well as suicidality and sexually transmitted infections. Despite greater utilization of mental health services, there remain few evidence-based approaches specifically tailored for sexual minority individuals and even fewer that are designed to explicitly address the multiple co-occurring conditions that afflict this group. This chapter describes one such approach, rooted in minority stress theory, that has been shown to empirically address the multitude of problematic outcomes and behaviors among sexual minority men and is currently being developed for sexual minority women. The chapter begins by describing the theoretical underpinnings of this therapeutic approach, subsequently providing a description of the major principles underlying this intervention. This chapter ends with an illustrative case example taken from the current clinical trials of this treatment program.


Author(s):  
Deborah J. Bowen ◽  
Jennifer M. Jabson ◽  
Steven S. Coughlin

This chapter discusses the literature on cancer-related interventions for sexual and gender minority women and men and identifies directions for future research and practice. The authors divide the field up into interventions that operate in each of the four areas of cancer control: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary prevention. The main interventions developed for primary prevention of cancer for sexual minority women and men involve tobacco reduction and obesity reduction. Interventions for preventing HIV infection in LGBT populations have informed more recent efforts to address cancer. A few interventions have been evaluated for secondary prevention of cancer, and a few interventions have targeted sexual minority women and men during the treatment period. We found no interventions on quaternary prevention in sexual and gender minority populations and no evaluated interventions to improve the cancer-related health of gender minority individuals. There are multiple directions for future research in this area.


Author(s):  
Gary W. Harper ◽  
Jessica Crawford ◽  
Katherine Lewis ◽  
Caroline Rucah Mwochi ◽  
Gabriel Johnson ◽  
...  

Background: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people in Kenya face pervasive socio-cultural and structural discrimination. Persistent stress stemming from anti-SGM stigma and prejudice may place SGM individuals at increased risk for negative mental health outcomes. This study explored experiences with violence (intimate partner violence and SGM-based violence), mental health outcomes (psychological distress, PTSD symptoms, and depressive symptoms), alcohol and other substance use, and prioritization of community needs among SGM adults in Western Kenya. Methods: This study was conducted by members of a collaborative research partnership between a U.S. academic institution and a Kenyan LGBTQ civil society organization (CSO). A convenience sample of 527 SGM adults (92.7% ages 18–34) was recruited from community venues to complete a cross-sectional survey either on paper or through an online secure platform. Results: For comparative analytic purposes, three sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) groups were created: (1) cisgender sexual minority women (SMW; 24.9%), (2) cisgender sexual minority men (SMM; 63.8%), and (3) gender minority individuals (GMI; 11.4%). Overall, 11.7% of participants reported clinically significant levels of psychological distress, 53.2% reported clinically significant levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and 26.1% reported clinically significant levels of depressive symptoms. No statistically significant differences in clinical levels of these mental health concerns were detected across SOGI groups. Overall, 76.2% of participants reported ever using alcohol, 45.6% home brew, 43.5% tobacco, 39.1% marijuana, and 27.7% miraa or khat. Statistically significant SOGI group differences on potentially problematic substance use revealed that GMI participants were less likely to use alcohol and tobacco daily; and SMM participants were more likely to use marijuana daily. Lifetime intimate partner violence (IPV) was reported by 42.5% of participants, and lifetime SGM-based violence (SGMV) was reported by 43.4%. GMI participants were more likely than other SOGI groups to have experienced both IPV and SGMV. Participants who experienced SGMV had significantly higher rates of clinically significant depressive and PTSD symptoms. Conclusions: Despite current resilience demonstrated by SGM adults in Kenya, there is an urgent need to develop and deliver culturally appropriate mental health services for this population. Given the pervasiveness of anti-SGM violence, services should be provided using trauma-informed principles, and be sensitive to the lived experiences of SGM adults in Kenya. Community and policy levels interventions are needed to decrease SGM-based stigma and violence, increase SGM visibility and acceptance, and create safe and affirming venues for mental health care. Political prioritization of SGM mental health is needed for sustainable change.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 842-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandria M Delozier ◽  
Rebecca C Kamody ◽  
Scott Rodgers ◽  
Diane Chen

Abstract Objective To present a topical review of minority stressors contributing to psychosocial and physical health disparities in transgender and gender expansive (TGE) adolescents. Methods We conducted a topical review of original research studies focused on distal stressors (e.g., discrimination; victimization; rejection; nonaffirmation), proximal stressors (e.g., expected rejection; identity concealment; internalized transphobia), and resilience factors (e.g., community connectedness; pride; parental support) and mental and physical health outcomes. Results Extant literature suggests that TGE adolescents experience a host of gender minority stressors and are at heightened risk for negative health outcomes; however, limited research has directly applied the gender minority stress framework to the experiences of TGE adolescents. Most research to date has focused on distal minority stressors and single path models to negative health outcomes, which do not account for the complex interplay between chronic minority stress, individual resilience factors, and health outcomes. Research examining proximal stressors and resilience factors is particularly scarce. Conclusions The gender minority stress model is a helpful framework for understanding how minority stressors contribute to health disparities and poor health outcomes among TGE adolescents. Future research should include multiple path models that examine relations between gender minority stressors, resilience factors, and health outcomes in large, nationally representative samples of TGE adolescents. Clinically, adaptations of evidence-based interventions to account for gender minority stressors may increase effectiveness of interventions for TGE adolescents and reduce health disparities in this population of vulnerable youth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 859-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacey L. Williams ◽  
Sarah A. Job ◽  
Emerson Todd ◽  
Kelsey Braun

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