Conall O’Cleirigh, PhD

Project THRIVE

Current research tells us that gay and bisexual men experience disproportionately high levels of childhood sexual abuse, in some groups higher than 1 in 3, which is much higher than in the general male population.  Further, studies have found that gay/bisexual men who have experienced sexual abuse can be at increased risk for HIV through higher rates of risky sex.

The relationship between childhood sexual abuse and risky sex in adulthood is likely influenced by a combination of psychological, psychosocial, and behavioral factors.  Sexually abusive experiences may interfere with our ability to manage our risky behavior. The existing research tells us that survivors of childhood or adolescent sexual abuse are more likely to have one-night stands, use drugs during sex, and more likely to have been in recent abusive relationships.  Also, gay/bisexual men who experienced childhood sexual abuse are more likely to experience social adjustment and psychological problems.  Read more.

Harvey Makadon, MD

Everyone wants their doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers to be familiar with the health issues and risks specific to their own communities, and to provide them with appropriate and sensitive care.  But for many people who are LGBT, it is difficult to find healthcare providers who can do just this.  Sometimes bias or a judgmental attitude on the part of a clinician will damage the relationship between the clinician and an LGBT patient and negatively affect the patients’ health.  But often it is simply that the clinician lacks the necessary knowledge and training in LGB or T health that would lead to a great healthcare experience rather than just a mediocre one.   Further educational programming is needed to bolster physicians and other healthcare providers’ understanding of the many factors that contribute to disparities in LGBT health.  Read more.

Jim Maynard, MDiv

 Sunil Gulab 

The Community Advisory Board at Work Around the World

In October, The Fenway Institute’s Community Outreach, Recruitment & Education Programs Manager Jim Maynard traveled to Cape Town, South Africa for the African Regional Meeting of the Microbicide Trials Network (MTN).  MTN is the National Institutes of Allergy and Infections Diseases Division of AIDS sponsored network that is working on developing and testing vaginal and rectal microbicides, substances that may one-day prevent HIV infection.  The Fenway Institute will begin enrolling this month in a study to test a rectal microbicide in both men and women with 2 other studies starting sometime this spring or summer.  Jim went as the community educator for TFI in this network and was asked to bring one Community Advisory Board (CAB) member with him to speak to community concerns around and support of microbicide research.  

We are fortunate to have Sunil Gulab on our CAB.  Sunil is an environmental engineer working at Boston College and was able to travel to Cape Town for the meeting.  Read more.

Judy Bradford, PhD

Healthy People 2020 Update

Healthy People is the nation’s formal program to improve the health of United States residents and to achieve health equity across all population groups. The program was established in 1979 and has been continually used since that time, with a new set of objectives and program standards for each decade. Objectives are developed through a national consensus building process that takes place over the course of a full year, with regional meetings for public input and working groups for 24 Topic Areas in the emerging Healthy People 2020, the guiding framework for public health in this new decade.

Healthy People 2020 (HP2020) provides an important opportunity for Fenway Health and The Fenway Institute to contribute to the development of this program by providing our expertise regarding the inclusion and specific Topic Area recommendations reflecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health. Within The Fenway Institute, staff in the Center for Population Research in LGBT Health have worked closely with colleagues in other organizations to make the case for attention to LGBT (or SGM, sexual and gender minority) health in every area addressed within HP2020.  Read more.

Aimee
VanWagenen, PhD

Population Research in Sexual and Gender Minority Health (PRISM) Data Archive Launches

At the Center for Population Research in LGBT Health, we are excited to announce the launch of the Population Research in Sexual and Gender Minority Health (PRISM) Data Archive.  The PRISM archive provides on-line access to high quality datasets in LGBT health to the scholarly and research community.  Our mission at the Population Center is to stimulate research to understand and improve the health of sexual and gender minorities.  Establishment of the PRISM Archive is one of the major initiatives we are undertaking in fulfilling that mission.  Read more.

Judy Bradford, PhD

Center for Population Research in LGBT Health Works with Elderly Coalition for Inclusiveness in MA BRFSS

As healthcare organizations seek to provide culturally competent care to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and communities, there is a growing need for scientifically sound data about these population groups.  The  lack of such information and the need for addressing gaps in our knowledge base has become a major concern across the country, as the general population becomes more and more aware of the unmet needs of LGBT people. Despite this awareness, almost no publicly supported data sets capture information on LGBTs. This is a critical issue, as without data, government programs cannot be designed to address our needs, nor can funding be justified.  Read more.