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Exploring gender and sexual minority status among street-involved youth
- Authors:
- FREDERICK Tyler J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies, 6(2), June 2011, pp.166-183.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Young people on the streets experience a wide range of risks. This study examined both heterosexual and sexual minority street-involved young people across a number of sociodemographic, risk and current mental health, victimisation and delinquency measures with a focus on gender differences. Participants included 147 homeless and street-involved young men and women, aged 16 to 21 years, in Toronto, Canada. Findings indicated that many of the differences between the heterosexual and sexual minority youth were driven by differences among the young women. Analyses were then used to test for interactions between gender and sexual minority status alongside controls. The results suggest that gender, sexuality and street involvement interconnect to affect outcomes in more complex ways than are acknowledged by the notion of accumulating or multiplying disadvantage common in the literature. In conclusion, the authors discuss methods for gaining a better understanding of homeless young people with a focus on gender and sexuality.
High prevalence of childhood emotional, physical and sexual trauma among a Canadian cohort of HIV-seropositive illicit drug users
- Authors:
- WALTON Georgia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- AIDS Care, 23(6), June 2011, pp.714-721.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of various types of childhood maltreatment (sexual, physical and emotional abuse and physical or emotional neglect) and to examine the links between childhood maltreatment and later health and functioning. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, a 28-item validated instrument, was used to retrospectively assess childhood maltreatment in a community-recruited cohort of adult HIV-seropositive illicit drug users living in Vancouver (n=233; 83 women). Logistic regression was used to estimate relationships between sub-types of childhood maltreatment with various social-demographic, drug-using and clinical characteristics. Moderate or severe emotional childhood abuse was reported by 51.9% of participants, emotional neglect by 36.9%, physical abuse by 51.1%, physical neglect by 46.8% and sexual abuse by 41.6%. Analyses revealed that emotional, physical and sexual abuse were independently associated with greater odds of recent incarceration. Emotional abuse and neglect were independently associated with depression. There was no association between any form of childhood maltreatment and clinical HIV variables, including viral load, CD4+ count and antiretroviral therapy. These results confirm the high prevalence of childhood abuse experienced by HIV positive illicit drug users and the need for evidence-based resources to address the deleterious effect it has on the health and social functioning.
The interplay of syndemic production and serosorting in drug-using gay and bisexual men
- Authors:
- MOELLER Robert W., HALKITIS Perry N., SURRENCE Katie
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 23(1), January 2011, pp.89-106.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study examines the relationships between mental health, substance use, and sexual behaviours among gay and bisexual men using syndemics theory. Syndemics is used to investigate the mutually reinforcing interaction of multiple medical and social problems. A sample of 450 gay and bisexual club drug-using men from New York City were assessed with regard to sociodemographic characteristics, frequency and type of club drug use, HIV status, mental health status, and sexual behaviour with casual partners. Risk scores for each participant were based on the variables measuring substance use and mental health burden. The findings showed that participants with higher risk scores were significantly more likely to engage in risk behaviours. Risk taking was also explained by serosorting, in which individuals use HIV status to select sexual partners, frequently to select sexual partners of a similar HIV status to themselves. Serosorting may serve as a strategy to reduce the risk of contracting HIV or infecting partners with the HIV virus. The findings suggest that the interplay between social, emotional, and cognitive factors is important to understand sexual risk taking.