Azalea Room Oral Abstracts
May 31, 2019 04:15 PM - 05:30 PM(America/Los_Angeles)
20190531T1615 20190531T1730 America/Los_Angeles Concurrent Session 3 - Mental Health

Session Chair:

Tamara Lewis-Johnson, MBA, MPH, Women's Health Program Manager, NIH

Highlighted Posters:

Friday, Poster #14 - Disparities in self-injurious thoughts and behaviors among a community sample of LGB and heterosexual adolescents - Meaghan Delcourt Firday, Poster #36 - Associations between state suicide rates and gender identity/sexual orientation policy tallies - Kevin Joly-Brown 
Azalea Room 2019 National LGBTQ Health Conference nationalLGBTQHealthConference@gmail.com
42 attendees saved this session

Session Chair:

Tamara Lewis-Johnson, MBA, MPH, Women's Health Program Manager, NIH



Highlighted Posters:

  • Friday, Poster #14 - Disparities in self-injurious thoughts and behaviors among a community sample of LGB and heterosexual adolescents - Meaghan Delcourt 
  • Firday, Poster #36 - Associations between state suicide rates and gender identity/sexual orientation policy tallies - Kevin Joly-Brown 
Associations between Attempts to Change Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation and Suicidality among a National Sample of LGBTQ Youth
Final PresentationViolence, Trauma, Suicide and Mental Health 04:15 PM - 05:30 PM (America/Los_Angeles) 2019/05/31 23:15:00 UTC - 2019/06/01 00:30:00 UTC

The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey (YRBSS) highlights adverse mental health indicators among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) students including increased depressive symptoms, rates of seriously considering suicide, and rates of attempted suicide (Zaza et al., 2016). Attempts to change sexual orientation have been related to even higher rates of depression and suicidality among a sample of over 200 LGB young adults (Ryan et al., 2009). However, the impact of change attempts and conversion therapy have not yet been investigated in a large national sample or inclusive of transgender and gender non-conforming youth (TG-GNC). This study focuses on the association between youth-reported attempts to change sexual orientation and gender identity with depressed mood and suicidality. Methods: In its first national, IRB approved study, The Trevor Project examined the experiences of over 25,000 LGBTQ youth between the ages of 13 and 24 with representation from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed to collect data using an online survey platform between February and September 2018. Youth were recruited via targeted ads on social media, with no direct recruitment conducted via websites affiliated with The Trevor Project. Youth gender identity was coded as transgender if a) the youth reported an assigned sex at birth that differed from their current gender or b) the youth self-identified as “trans-male” or “trans-female.” Youth who identified as “gender queer,” “gender fluid,” “gender non-conforming,” or “non-binary” were categorized as “gender non-conforming.” The survey addresses a variety of topics facing LGBTQ youth including suicide and depression, discrimination, family acceptance, and conversion therapy. Questions related to depressed mood and suicidality were based on the YRBSS. Results: Over 65% of cisgender LGBQ youth reported that someone had tried to convince them to change their sexual orientation, with higher rates of depressed mood (71% vs 53%), considering suicide (37% vs 21%), and suicide attempts (18% vs 7%) in the past 12 months compared to youth who did not report change attempts. Over 67% of TG-GNC youth reported that someone had attempted to convince them to change their gender identity, with higher rates of past year depressed mood (86% vs 76%), considering suicide (62% vs 24%), and suicide attempts (35% vs 17%). Youth were also asked whether they had undergone formal reparative or conversion therapy efforts to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. Among LGBQ youth, 4% reported formal conversion therapy attempts with high rates of depressed mood (77%), considering suicide (52%), and suicide attempts (32.3%). The highest rates of depressed mood (91%), considering suicide (75%), and suicide attempts (57%) were found among the 6% of TG-GNC who reported receiving reparative or conversion therapy. Discussion: Formal and non-formal attempts to change sexual orientation and gender identity related to increased rates of depression and suicidality. The majority of TG-GNC youth who reported receiving conversion therapy also reported a suicide attempt in the past 12 months. Researchers, clinicians, and policymakers
should leverage this data to protect the lives of LGBTQ youth.
Presenters
AG
Amy Green
Director Of Research, The Trevor Project
Co-Authors
sD
Samuel Dorison
Prevalence of Suicidality, Depression and Severe Distress in a US Nationwide Sample of Men Who have Sex with Men
OralViolence, Trauma, Suicide and Mental Health 04:15 PM - 05:30 PM (America/Los_Angeles) 2019/05/31 23:15:00 UTC - 2019/06/01 00:30:00 UTC
BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the US experience high rates of serious mental health problems, especially young MSM. Except for general population surveys with few MSM participants, there is little information on nationwide prevalence of mental health problems among MSM. Better epidemiologic information from US MSM can help focus increased efforts at prevention and treatment. Recent large online nationwide surveys of MSM provide such opportunities. METHODS: The 2017 American Men's Internet Survey collected information on past 12 months suicidality and past 30 days Kessler Psychological Distress Scale from MSM participants across all US states. Prevalence of suicidal thoughts, suicide plans, suicide attempts, depression, and severe psychological distress were calculated for the overall sample and by participant age, race/ethnicity, county population density, geographic region, and self-reported HIV status. Multivariable Poisson regression modeling was used to identify significant (p< 0.05) independent correlates of suicidality, depression, and severe distress, overall and just for youth age 15-24. RESULTS: Of 10,049 participants, the majority were age 25+ (72.9%), white non-Hispanic (70.7%), from urban counties (42.1%), from the South (38.3%), and HIV-negative/unknown status (90.4%). Overall prevalence of suicidal thoughts was 19.5%, suicide plans 6.1%, suicide attempts 2.3%, depression 8.9%, and severe distress 17.6%. Compared to MSM age 40+ (N=4485), younger MSM had significantly higher prevalence of all mental health problems. The highest prevalences were among MSM age 15-25 (N=2726) - suicidal thoughts 29.8%, suicide plans 10.9%, suicide attempts 5.5%, depression 13.7% and severe distress 28.1%. Compared with white MSM, Hispanic/Latino MSM had higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts, depression and severe distress. MSM of other/multiple races had higher prevalence of depression and severe distress. Compared to MSM residing in urban counties, MSM who resided in non-urban counties had higher prevalence of all mental health problems. Compared to MSM who resided in the South, MSM in the West had higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts and MSM in the Northeast had lower prevalence of depression and severe distress. Compared to negative/unknown status MSM, those with HIV infection had higher prevalence of suicide plans, suicide attempts, depression and severe distress. In analyses with just youth age 15-25, most correlations of demographic factors and mental health issues were attenuated, except that youth living in non-urban counties still had higher prevalence of most mental health problems, youth of other/multiple race had higher prevalence of suicidal attempts, Hispanic/Latino youth had higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts, and black youth had higher prevalence of depression and severe distress. DISCUSSION: Our nationwide study of US MSM shows a high burden of recent serious mental health issues and that prevalence is not equally distributed among all MSM. Younger MSM, MSM from outside of urban areas, and some racial/ethnicity minority MSM are disproportionately reporting these issues, and may be the groups hardest to reach with traditional in-person mental health services. Our success engaging these high-risk MSM in online surveys presents potential opportunities for using technology-enabled mental health interventions and should be further explored.
Presenters
TS
Travis Sanchez
Associate Professor, Emory University - SPH
Co-Authors
MZ
Maria Zlotorzynska
Associate Director Of Research Projects, Emory University - SPH And SOM
Examining the Association between Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Mental Health among Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV in Guatemala
No preferenceViolence, Trauma, Suicide and Mental Health 04:15 PM - 05:30 PM (America/Los_Angeles) 2019/05/31 23:15:00 UTC - 2019/06/01 00:30:00 UTC
Background: Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, compared to their heterosexual counterparts. Mental health is associated with adverse health outcomes including sub-optimal engagement in and adherence to HIV treatment. One factor that may increase risk for mental health problems among MSM is intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. While MSM face a high burden of IPV victimization, little research has examined mental health and its link with IPV among MSM living with HIV. The objectives of this study are to: 1) describe the prevalence of the different forms of IPV victimization experienced by MSM living with HIV in Guatemala; and 2) examine the relationship between IPV victimization and mental health in this population. Methods: Between January and May 2017, we screened 445 MSM patients at the largest HIV clinic in Guatemala City and enrolled 374 MSM living with HIV who met eligibility criteria for an implementation science study to improve HIV outcomes. We analyzed cross-sectional data from the baseline socio-behavioral survey to describe the burden of IPV victimization, including physical, sexual, and emotional IPV. We then examined relationships between lifetime IPV and each form of recent IPV (past 12 months) with anxiety and depression using multivariate logistic regression. Analyses were conducted using SAS 9.4. Results: More than a quarter (27.4%) of participants screened positive for anxiety and nearly one-fifth (18.1%) screened positive for depression. Over a quarter of participants (28.5%) reported ever having experienced any IPV victimization and 8.8% reported having experienced recent IPV. The most common forms of recent IPV were emotional (7.7%), physical (5.9%), and sexual (1.9%). 5.6% of participants reported experiencing two forms of recent IPV, the most common combination being physical and emotional (5.1%). In multivariate analysis, participants who experienced any form of lifetime IPV had over twice the odds of experiencing anxiety (OR: 2.36; 95% CI 1.44 to 3.89) and nearly three times the odds of experiencing depression (OR: 2.89; 95% CI: 1.64 to 5.12) compared to those who had not. Participants who experienced recent emotional IPV had over eleven times the odds of experiencing anxiety (OR: 11.15; 95% CI 2.71 to 45.84) and over six times the odds of experiencing depression (OR: 6.06; 95% CI: 1.76 to 20.93) compared to those who had not. Additionally, participants who experienced recent sexual IPV had nearly nine times the odds of experiencing anxiety (OR: 8.73; 95% CI: 1.07 to 70.92), but recent sexual IPV was not significantly associated with depression. Discussion: MSM living with HIV in Guatemala experience a high burden of anxiety, depression, and IPV victimization. Experiencing lifetime IPV and recent emotional and sexual IPV may contribute to higher levels of anxiety and depression. To improve mental health for MSM, HIV clinics and other health services should incorporate IPV screening for MSM. Future research should examine mental health as a potential mediating pathway between IPV victimization and HIV treatment and adherence outcomes for MSM.
Presenters Dirk Davis
Doctoral Student, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Co-Authors
AR
Amelia Rock
RS
Renato Santa Luce
LM
Luz McNaughton-Reyes
CB
Clare Barrington
Moderators of the Association Between Community Connectedness and Internalizing Symptoms Among Gay Men
OralResiliency and Healthy Relationships 04:15 PM - 05:30 PM (America/Los_Angeles) 2019/05/31 23:15:00 UTC - 2019/06/01 00:30:00 UTC
Sexual minorities are exposed to various gay-related and general stressors that increase risk for mental and physical health problems, including depression, social anxiety, and cardiovascular disease. Less attention has been paid to positive factors such as ameliorative coping strategies and social supports that reduce risk for mental health difficulties among sexual minorities, but understanding these factors is important in order to shed light on characteristics that promote resilience in this population. Gay community connectedness is one such factor. Gay community connectedness refers to a sense of in-group status or belongingness to a broader gay community, an affiliative subgroup of the community (e.g., bear community or LGBT communities of color), or other sexual minorities (Frost & Meyer, 2012). Notably, this cognitive/affective construct is separate from involvement or participation in the gay community, which is a behavioral construct assessing activities such as frequenting a local gay bar (Frost & Meyer, 2012). Although preliminary work suggests that community connectedness is associated with well-being among sexual minorities (e.g., Kertzner, Meyer, Frost, & Stirratt, 2009), access to and the resulting benefits of community connectedness are likely to vary by other aspects of individuals’ identities, including race/ethnicity, age, and social class (Meyer, 2015). The current study sought to better understand the relation between community connectedness and well-being by examining the association between gay community connectedness and internalizing symptoms (i.e., general psychological distress, anxiety, and depression) in a sample of 147 self-identified gay men living in the greater New York City area, as well as the conditions under which gay community connectedness is associated with better mental health. Results provide support for our hypotheses that 1) community connectedness would be negatively associated with internalizing symptoms and 2) various demographic and individual factors would moderate this association. Specifically, results indicate significant negative associations between community connectedness and internalizing symptoms, such that greater gay community connectedness was associated with lower levels of internalizing symptoms, consistent with minority stress theory and other work examining the benefits of community coping resources. This association was strongest for non-White gay men, those whose gay identity was more central to their overall identity, and those with higher levels of femininity. These findings enhance our theoretical understanding of gay-specific factors such as community connectedness that promote resiliency among gay men and underscore the need to consider multiple aspects of gay men’s identity (e.g., race/ethnicity, centrality, femininity) in order to fully understand the factors associated with mental health outcomes in this population.
Presenters
TP
Tony Petruzzella
Doctoral Candidate, Associate Clinic Director, The University Of Georgia
Co-Authors Brian Feinstein
Research Assistant Professor, Northwestern University Institute For Sexual And Gender Minority Health And Wellbeing
JD
Joanne Davila
Department Of Psychology, Stony Brook University
JL
Justin Lavner
Department Of Psychology, University Of Georgia
High Lifetime Prevalence of Depression and Suicidality in an Asexual Community Sample
OralViolence, Trauma, Suicide and Mental Health 04:15 PM - 05:30 PM (America/Los_Angeles) 2019/05/31 23:15:00 UTC - 2019/06/01 00:30:00 UTC
 Background: Asexuality is a sexual orientation commonly defined as a lack of sexual attraction to other people. Similar to other sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, asexual – also called “ace” – populations, experience stigma and marginalization which are hypothesized to lead to poor mental and physical health and associated health disparities. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of professionally diagnosed depression as well as suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts within an asexual community sample. We hypothesized that asexual respondents who identified as non-binary would have worse mental health outcomes compared to those who identified as either male or female. Additionally, we hypothesized that asexual respondents who identified as transgender would have worse mental health outcomes than cisgender respondents. Methods: Data for this study were collected in the 2017 Ace Community Census, an online survey administered by the Ace Community Survey team. A total of 6,071 U.S. ace adults comprised the analytic sample. Respondents were asked in two separate questions to indicate their gender identity and whether or not they considered themselves transgender. Basic descriptive statistics were utilized to calculate counts, frequencies, and percentages. Chi-square tests applying Bonferroni corrections were used to determine statistically significant differences in group proportions. Binomial logistic regression was used to generate models of crude and adjusted odds ratios. Results: Participants had a mean age of 23.7 +/- 7.8 years; 78.9% self-reported they were White, 12.8% that they were neither male nor female and 18.3% that they considered themselves transgender. In the analytic sample, 42.1% of participants reported having been diagnosed with depression by a health care professional, 63.4% reported suicidal ideation, 33.5% reported having made a suicide plan, and 16.5% reported a suicide attempt within their lifetimes. As hypothesized, self-reported depression (51.8%, 39.7%, 38.6%, χ² = 80.266, p
Presenters Lauren Beach
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Northwestern University Institute For Sexual And Gender Minority Health And Wellbeing
Co-Authors
DJ
David Jay
Asexual Visibility And Education Network (AVEN)
Gregory Phillips II
Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
JB
Jacob Broschart
Research Assistant , Institute For Sexual And Gender Minority Health And Wellbeing, Northwestern University
CB
Caroline Bauer
Ace Community Survey Team
TM
Tristan Miller
Ace Community Survey Team
Doctoral Candidate, Associate Clinic Director
,
The University of Georgia
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
,
Northwestern University Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing
Doctoral Student
,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Associate Professor
,
Emory University - SPH
Director of Research
,
The Trevor Project
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