Another Study Finds Kids of Same-Sex Parents Do Just Fine

• By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• May 25, 2022
• Full Page

Children raised by same-sex parents are just as well-adjusted as kids raised by different-sex parents, researchers say.

In the new study, the researchers compared 62 Dutch children (aged 6 to 16 years) whose parents were the same sex with 72 kids whose parents were diffe...

Another Study Finds Bogus 'Conversion Therapy' Harms LGBTQ Teens

• March 8, 2022
• Full Page

There are serious mental harms and high financial costs associated with so-called conversion therapy for LGBTQ people, researchers report.

Conversion therapy attempts to make lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people "straight." Its safety and effectiveness ha...

Amid U.S. Blood Shortage, New Pressure to Ease Donor Rules for Gay Men

• Robert Preidt
• January 14, 2022
• Full Page

A three-month sexual abstinence rule for blood donations from sexually active gay and bisexual men should be dropped by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, critics urge as the country struggles with a blood shortage.

Right now, based on the slight chance of infection ...

HIV Rates Fall Among Gay White Americans, But Not Minorities

• Robert Preidt
• December 1, 2021
• Full Page

Some progress has been made in the U.S. fight against HIV, with new infections falling among white gay and bisexual men over the past decade. But their Black and Hispanic counterparts did not see that advance, health officials say.

The continuing inequities show up in a ...

As Countries Become More Tolerant, Suicides Among Gay Men Decline

• Cara Murez
• November 16, 2021
• Full Page

A new study confirms that when a country is more accepting of people who are LGBTQ, fewer gay or bisexual men take their own lives.

In a new study, researchers compared life in a country where LGBTQ folks encounter strong stigma with that in a country where stigma agains...

Testosterone Levels Matter for Men's, Women's Sex Lives

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• October 13, 2021
• Full Page

What launches guys on serial sexual conquests and prompts solo activity among women?

It's testosterone, of course.

As the primary male sex hormone, it plays a leading role in the sexual development of guys. But folks often overlook the role it plays in female sexua...

LGBQ Teens More Likely to Contemplate Suicide

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• September 30, 2021
• Full Page

Kids who are gay, bisexual or questioning their sexuality may be vulnerable to contemplating suicide at a tender age, a new U.S. government study finds.

It has long been known that teenagers who are part of sexual minorities have a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and be...

Bimonthly, Injected PrEP Beats Daily Pill in Warding Off HIV: Study

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• August 12, 2021
• Full Page

When the antiretroviral regimen known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, was launched nearly a decade ago, patients were suddenly able to achieve near-complete protection against contracting HIV by taking just one pill a day.

But there's a big hitch: Not everyone is e...

A Second 'Closet' for Some LGBTQ Seniors Entering Nursing Homes

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• August 10, 2021
• Full Page

The Stonewall generation is entering old age, and a new study finds many LGBTQ+ seniors are fearful that the prejudices of staff and fellow residents at nursing homes could leave them vulnerable to continued misunderstanding, stigma and discrimination.

In fact, "LGBTQ+ e...

When It Comes to Bullying of LGBTQ Teens, Local Politics Matters

• Cara Murez
• July 22, 2021
• Full Page

Youth who identify as LGBTQ+ suffer more bullying at their schools when they live in areas with politically conservative voting records, a new study finds.

School boards should do more to implement policies that go beyond minimum protections for LGBTQ+ youth, regardless...

Big Rise in U.S. Teens Identifying As Gay, Bisexual

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• June 15, 2021
• Full Page

More teens in the United States are reporting their sexual identity as gay, lesbian or bisexual, nationwide surveys show.

Between 2015 and 2019, the percentage of 15- to 17-year-olds who said they identified as "non-heterosexual" rose from 8.3% to 11.7%, according to nat...

In One U.S. School District, Nearly 10% of Students Identify as 'Gender-Diverse'

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• May 18, 2021
• Full Page

Teens may be much more diverse in their gender identities than widely thought, a new study suggests.

In a survey of nearly 3,200 high school students in one U.S. school district, researchers found that almost 10% were "gender-diverse." That meant they identified as a gen...

Bullying, Violence Common for Gender-Diverse Youth

• Steven Reinberg
• May 17, 2021
• Full Page

Gender-diverse youths are three times more likely to be bullied and victimized than those who identify as male or female, a new study of more than 4,400 teens has found.

"Transgender youths reported the highest rates of all forms of peer victimization, which were double ...

New Study Examines Sexuality of People With Autism

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• May 5, 2021
• Full Page

Adults with autism report a broad range of sexuality -- being much more likely to identify as asexual, bisexual or homosexual than people without autism, a new study finds.

In a survey of nearly 2,400 adults, researchers found that those with autism were three to nine ti...

Disappointment and Hope From Two HIV Prevention Trials

• March 17, 2021
• Full Page

An antibody infusion being tested for preventing HIV does not seem to thwart most infections -- but its success against certain strains of the virus suggests researchers are on the right track.

That's the takeaway from a clinical trial that put the antibody, called VRC01...

Survey Shows Which Americans Love Sports the Most

• Cara Murez
• February 4, 2021
• Full Page

A lot of people will be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday, but not everyone will be equally excited about it.

A new study that considered the influence of gender and sexuality on sports fandom found that though 9 of 10 Americans say they enjoy sports at least a little,...

Gay, Lesbian Adults Often Miss Out on Cholesterol Meds

• Robert Preidt
• December 2, 2020
• Full Page

Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adults are less likely to take cholesterol-lowering statins to prevent heart disease than heterosexual adults, even though they have a higher heart disease risk, according to a new study.

Researchers conducted an online survey of more tha...

Allowing More Gay Men to Donate Corneas Could Save Sight for Thousands: Study

• Robert Preidt
• September 29, 2020
• Full Page

U.S. and Canadian restrictions on cornea donations from gay and bisexual men prevent thousands of vision-restoring transplants and need to be changed, researchers say.

A corneal transplant can cure some forms of blindness and visual impairment. The United States bans...

Why Do Gay and Lesbian People Get More Migraines?

• Alan Mozes
• September 28, 2020
• Full Page

Could migraine risk be affected by sexual orientation? A new study suggests that the answer may be yes.

After tracking migraines among thousands of American adults, investigators found that men and women who identify as gay, bisexual or mostly but not exclusiv...

Many LGBTQ Youth Suffer From Mental Health Woes

• Steven Reinberg
• July 21, 2020
• Full Page

As many as 40% of LGBTQ youth and more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth contemplated taking their life in the past year, according to a new report.

Also, one in three LGBTQ youth said they had been threatened or harmed because of their sexual identit...

Coronavirus Ups Anxiety, Depression in the LGBTQ Community

• Steven Reinberg
• July 6, 2020
• Full Page

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, anxiety and depression are striking many in the LGBTQ+ community for the first time, researchers say.

"What I was hearing at the beginning of the pandemic was that people who were already anxious were more anxious than ever...

AHA NEWS: COVID-19 Adds To Challenges For LGBTQ Youth

• June 16, 2020
• Full Page

Even before the pandemic, LGBTQ youth faced unique health challenges. Now, social isolation is heightening concerns about protecting their mental well-being.

Isolation, and the way it cuts off youth from life-affirming social connections, could have serious implication...

Older Gays, Lesbians at Higher Odds for Drug, Alcohol Abuse: Study

• Robert Preidt
• June 8, 2020
• Full Page

Alcohol and drug use is more common among older adults who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual than among their straight counterparts, a new study finds.

For the study, New York University (NYU) researchers analyzed 25,880 responses from adults aged 50 and older who...

Too Often, Bullying Has Lethal Consequences for LGBT Teens

• Alan Mozes
• May 26, 2020
• Full Page

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) youth who die by suicide are five times more likely to have been bullied than their straight counterparts.

The finding stems from a review of nearly 10,000 U.S. death records for 2003 to 2017. All of the youth were...

Sexual Victimization Persists in U.S. Military for LGBTQs: Study

• Robert Preidt
• May 4, 2020
• Full Page

Lesbian, gay and bisexual members in the U.S. military are at higher risk for sexual harassment, sexual assault and stalking, a new study reports.

And that sexual victimization can trigger mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sub...

Amid COVID-19 Crisis, Blood Donor Restrictions Eased for Gays

• Steven Reinberg
• April 2, 2020
• Full Page

America is in urgent need of blood donations during the coronavirus pandemic, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it will relax donor restrictions placed on gay and bisexual men and others.

Specifically, the FDA has changed the abstinence period re...

Friends Matter for LGBT Health

• Robert Preidt
• March 11, 2020
• Full Page

Having a large social network of other people with the same sexual identity benefits the health of LGBT people, a new study finds.

Previous studies have found that discrimination and related stress can be harmful to the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgende...

Gay, Lesbian Teens at High Odds for Physical, Sexual Abuse

• Alan Mozes
• March 10, 2020
• Full Page

Lesbian, gay and bisexual teens are far more likely than their straight peers to suffer physical and/or sexual violence, new research warns.

The warning stems from surveys of nearly 29,000 teens, aged 14 to 18, conducted in 2015 and 2017 by the U.S. Centers for Disea...

Med Schools More Diverse Now, But Study Finds Minorities Still Mistreated

• Kayla McKiski
• February 28, 2020
• Full Page

Race, gender and sexual orientation are tied to mistreatment of medical school students by faculty, physicians and fellow students, according to a new report.

For the study, Yale University researchers analyzed more than 27,500 surveys of students at 140 accredited m...

Gay Men Underestimate Their Risks From HPV

• Robert Preidt
• February 20, 2020
• Full Page

Young men who have sex with other men don't fully grasp their risk for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, due to a lack of information from health care providers, researchers say.

Interviews with men in their early 20s who are gay, bisexual or who identify as stra...

Does Sexual Orientation Play a Role in Skin Cancer Risk?

• Robert Preidt
• February 19, 2020
• Full Page

Gay and bisexual men in the United States have higher skin cancer rates than heterosexual men, while bisexual women have lower rates than heterosexual women, according to a new study.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston analyzed data culled from n...

Fewer LGBT Teens Plagued by Suicidal Thoughts, But Rates Still High

• Amy Norton
• February 10, 2020
• Full Page

Suicidal behavior is declining among U.S. teenagers who identify as LGBT, but the problem remains pervasive.

That's the conclusion of two new studies that tracked trends among U.S. teenagers over the past couple of decades. Over the years, more kids have been identif...

Drug-Resistant Dysentery Emerging Among Gay Men

• Alan Mozes
• December 19, 2019
• Full Page

Australian researchers are sounding the alarm over cases of a highly infectious intestinal illness that appear to be resistant to all forms of standard oral antibiotic treatment.

The disease is called shigellosis, a form of dysentery. So far, most cases have involved...

Depression Rates Not Budging for Lesbian and Gay Teens

• Alan Mozes
• October 22, 2019
• Full Page

While fewer straight teens suffer depression than did two decades ago, the same cannot be said for lesbian, gay and bisexual teens.

For those teens, depression risk remains much higher than among their straight peers, new research shows, and it is not followin...

There Is No 'Gay Gene,' Major Study Concludes

• Dennis Thompson
• August 29, 2019
• Full Page

There's no such thing as a single "gay gene" that drives a person's sexual behavior, concludes the largest genetic study ever conducted on the issue.

Instead, a person's attraction to those of the same sex is shaped by a complex mix of genetic and environmental influ...

Doctors Come Out Against Gay Conversion Therapy

• Robert Preidt
• August 8, 2019
• Full Page

So-called "conversion therapy" can trigger depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal thoughts and attempts, and it should be banished in the United States, medical experts say in a new report.

Conversion therapy is used in an attempt to change a person...

Many Lesbian, Gay Teens Still Face Rejection by Parents

• Robert Preidt
• June 19, 2019
• Full Page

Many parents of lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) children take years to adjust after learning about their sexual orientation, a new study finds.

The study included more than 1,200 parents of LGB youth aged 10 to 25. The parents visited a website with LGB resources and ...

AHA News: For LGBTQ Patients, Discrimination Can Become Barrier to Medical Care

• June 4, 2019
• Full Page

In recent years, medical experts have been awakening to the specialized needs of LGBTQ people. But one of the most significant barriers to their care can sometimes be right in their doctor's office.

Jamison Green knows this firsthand.

"One of the worst th...

Lesbian, Gay Youth at Higher Risk for Self-Harm

• Alan Mozes
• June 3, 2019
• Full Page

An alarming number of teens practice self-harm, but lesbian, gay and bisexual teens may be more than twice as likely as their straight peers to cut, hit or bruise themselves, new research warns.

While between 10% and 20% of heterosexual teens engaged in these...

Political Controversies Could Fuel Bullying of LGBT Youth: Study

• Robert Preidt
• May 13, 2019
• Full Page

Heated political debate about the rights of marginalized groups might trigger increases in bullying, a new study says.

It found that homophobic bullying at California schools peaked before a statewide referendum to ban gay marriage (Proposition 8), but declined afte...

HIV Meds Cut Transmission Risk to Zero, Even Without Condoms: Study

• Alan Mozes
• May 3, 2019
• Full Page

Even if they never use a condom during sex, gay men whose HIV is undetectable due to ongoing antiretroviral treatment cannot infect their male partner, new research reveals.

"Whether men who are in monogamous relationships in these circumstances chose to use or not to ...

Marriage Law Boosted Same-Sex Couples' Well-Being

• Robert Preidt
• February 28, 2019
• Full Page

Same-sex couples benefited emotionally from the U.S. Supreme Court's federal recognition of gay marriage, researchers say.

The 2015 decision recognizing same-sex marriage throughout the nation reduced mental distress and improved life satisfaction among gay and lesbi...

Many Oncologists in the Dark About LGBTQ Health Needs

• Robert Preidt
• January 18, 2019
• Full Page

Most cancer specialists are comfortable treating LGBTQ patients, but many aren't confident in their knowledge about these patients' specific health needs, a new survey finds.

"Cancer care within the LGBTQ community is a largely ignored public health issue," said Gwen...