Bisexuality Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Bisexuality, including details on male and female, statistics, trends, psychology.

Disparities in Child Abuse Victimization in Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Women in the Nurses' Health Study II.

Austin SB, Jun HJ, Jackson B, Spiegelman D, Rich-Edwards J, Corliss HL, Wright RJ

Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Department of Society, Human Development, and Health and Social Behavior, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts., Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

ABSTRACT Background: A growing body of research documents multiple health disparities by sexual orientation among women, yet little is known about the possible causes of these disparities. One underlying factor may be heightened risk for abuse victimization in childhood in lesbian and bisexual women. Methods: Using survey data from 63,028 women participating in the Nurses' Health Study II, we investigated sexual orientation group differences in emotional, physical, and sexual abuse in childhood and adolescence. Multivariable log-binomial and linear regression models were used to examine orientation group differences in prevalence and severity of abuse, with heterosexual as the referent and controlling for sociodemographics. Results: Results showed strong evidence of elevated frequency, severity, and persistence of abuse experienced by lesbian and bisexual women. Comparing physical abuse victimization occurring in both childhood and adolescence, lesbian (30%, prevalence ratio [PR] 1.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40, 1.84) and bisexual (24%, PR 1.26, 95% CI 1.00, 1.60) women were more likely to report victimization than were heterosexual women (19%). Similarly, comparing sexual abuse victimization occurring in both age periods, lesbian (19%, PR 2.16, 95% CI 1.80, 2.60) and bisexual (20%, PR 2.29, 95% CI 1.76, 2.98) women were more likely to report victimization than were heterosexual women (9%). Conclusions: This study documents prevalent and persistent abuse disproportionately experienced by lesbian and bisexual women.

Published 1 May 2008 in J Womens Health (Larchmt), 17(4): 597-606.
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Articles on Bisexuality published 30 April 2008:

Lifetime Prevalence of Mental Disorders and Suicide Attempts in Diverse Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Populations.   Am J Public Health.

Past studies have reported little about variability in mental disorders among lesbians, gay men, and bisexual individuals. We assessed the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in 388 lesbian, gay, and bisexual Black, Latino, and White individuals. Black lesbians, gay men, and bisexual individuals had lower prevalence of all disorders than did Latino and White individuals; younger cohorts had fewer mood disorders than did older cohorts; bisexual persons had more substance use disorders than did ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Dimensions of Sexual Orientation and HIV-Related Risk Among Adolescent Females: Evidence From a Statewide Survey.   Am J Public Health.

Objectives. We examined the relationship of 2 dimensions of sexual orientation-sexual identity and sex of partners-with self-reported behaviors and experiences to identify factors that may place adolescent females at risk of HIV/AIDS. Methods. We gathered data on sexually experienced female high school students from 4 waves of a population-based survey. We used logistic regression analyses to investigate the association between their sexual identity (3666 heterosexual; 184 lesbian, gay, or ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

HIV Infection, Sexual Risk Behavior, and Substance Use Among Latino Gay and Bisexual Men and Transgender Persons.   Am J Public Health.

Objectives. We examined HIV prevalence and the socioeconomic correlates of HIV infection, sexual risk behaviors, and substance use among Latino gay and bisexual men and transgender persons in Chicago and San Francisco. Methods. Data were collected from a sample of 643 individuals (Chicago: n=320; San Francisco: n=323) through respondent-driven sampling and computer-assisted self-administered interviews. Results. HIV prevalence in San Francisco (0.325; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.260, 0.393) ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Sexual Orientation and Related Viral Sexually Transmitted Disease Rates Among US Women Aged 15 to 44 Years.   Am J Public Health.

I used data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth to measure sexual orientation and viral sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates among US women aged 15 to 44 years. Sexual behavior and sexual identity data indicated that 1.3% to 1.9% of the women were lesbians and 3.1% to 4.8% were bisexual. Self-reported viral STD rates were significantly higher among bisexual women (15.0% to 17.2%) than among lesbians (2.3% to 6.7%). These findings support the need for STD prevention interventions ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

"If You Know You Exist, It's Just Marketing Poison": Meanings of Tobacco Industry Targeting in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community.   Am J Public Health.

In the public health literature, it is generally assumed that the perception of "targeting" as positive or negative by the targeted audience depends on the product or message being promoted. Smoking prevalence rates are high among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, but little is known about how they perceive tobacco industry targeting. We conducted focus groups with LGBT individuals in 4 US cities to explore their perceptions. Our findings indicated that focus ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Sexual and Gender Minority Health: What We Know and What Needs to Be Done.   Am J Public Health.

We describe the emergence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health as a key area of study and practice for clinicians and public health professionals. We discuss the specific needs of LGBT populations on the basis of the most recent epidemiological and clinical investigations, methods for defining and measuring LGBT populations, and the barriers they face in obtaining appropriate care and services. We then discuss how clinicians and public health professionals can improve ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Bisexuality published 28 April 2008:

Sex steroids and metabolic parameter levels in a seasonal breeding fish (Sparus aurata L.).   Gen Comp Endocrinol, 156(3): 531-6.

The gilthead seabream is a protandrous hermaphrodite seasonal breeding teleost with a bisexual gonad that offers an interesting model for studying the two first reproductive cycles (RCs), in which the specimens develops as males. During the first RC (RC1), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and testosterone (T), the main androgens in fish, play different and specific roles in the testicular physiology as they peak at different stages of RC1. Moreover, the profiles of T serum levels during the second ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Bisexuality published 25 April 2008:

Phylogeny of the basal angiosperm genus Pseuduvaria (Annonaceae) inferred from five chloroplast DNA regions, with interpretation of morphological character evolution.   Mol Phylogenet Evol.

Phylogenetic relationships within the magnoliid basal angiosperm genus Pseuduvaria (Annonaceae) are investigated using chloroplast DNA sequences from five regions: psbA-trnH spacer, trnL-F, matK, rbcL, and atpB-rbcL spacer. Over 4000 nucleotides from 51 species (of the total 53) were sequenced. The five cpDNA datasets were analyzed separately and in combination using maximum parsimony (MP), maximum likelihood (ML), and Bayesian methods. The phylogenetic trees constructed using all three ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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