Differences in Health Care Access, Utilization, and Experiences Among LGBTQ+ Subgroups in the Southern United States.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) individuals experience health inequities and barriers to accessing appropriate, affirming care. Little is known about differing health care experiences within the LGBTQ+ population, particularly among individuals living in underserved areas. This study explored health care experiences and utilization among LGBTQ+ subgroups: lesbian and gay cisgender individuals (n = 258), bisexual+ cisgender individuals (n = 71), and transgender and gender-diverse individuals (n = 80).

Loneliness in Sexual Minority Individuals in the Southeastern United States: The Role of Minority Stress and Resilience.

Health disparities in the sexual minority population may be exacerbated by the loneliness experienced due to minority stress. Using a minority stress framework, this study examined minority stress, protective variables, and mental health as correlates of loneliness in sexual minority individuals in a small metropolitan area in the southeastern United States. Participants (n = 273) were a subsample of sexual minority individuals from a broader sample of LGBTQ adults in the Central Savannah River area who completed a health needs assessment.

Validation of the Brief Sense of Community Scale in a lesbian, gay, and bisexual sample.

Sense of community can buffer against negative mental health outcomes in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. Valid measurement of this construct can better inform research, assessment, and intervention designed to promote well-being in this population. The present study aims to evaluate the validity of the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS) among sexual minority individuals.

The Effects of Polyvictimization on Mental and Physical Health Outcomes in an LGBTQ Sample.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) individuals are at elevated risk for violent victimization and often experience increased health disparities compared to their non-LGBTQ counterparts. The present study examined associations between polyvictimization and mental and physical health in an LGBTQ sample. Participants included 385 LGBTQ individuals involved in a larger health-needs assessment of LGBTQ individuals living in the southeastern United States.

Current Standards and Practices Within the Therapy Dog Industry: Results of a Representative Survey of United States Therapy Dog Organizations.

Organizations that deliver animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), as well as those that train, evaluate, and register therapy dogs, have proliferated in recent decades in the United States (U.S.).

Gender Minority Stress and Health Perceptions Among Transgender Individuals in a Small Metropolitan Southeastern Region of the United States.

Transgender individuals continue to face wide-ranging health disparities, which may be due in part to unique and chronic gender identity-related stressors. The present study assessed the relationships between barriers to health care, proximal minority stress related to perceived community safety, and overall health perceptions of transgender individuals living in a small metropolitan region of the Southern United States. Participants included 66 transgender individuals who took part in a larger lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community needs assessment study.

Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Knowledge and Use Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in a Small Metropolitan Region of the Southeastern United States.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) in the southeastern United States continue to be at high risk for HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provides effective prevention, but PrEP awareness varies across communities. We assessed sexual risk, HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing history, health care experiences associated with PrEP awareness, provider discussions, and PrEP use in a sample of 164 MSM in the Central Savannah River Area of the South.

Predictors of anxiety among sexual minority individuals in the Southern US.

Sexual minority individuals experience a disproportionate burden of mental health issues, particularly in less populous cities of the southern United States. Unique identity-related stressors may explain these disparities. The current study examines relationships between sexual minority stress, identity, and anxiety in sexual minority individuals from a small metropolitan area of the South.

Mental Health Correlates of Cigarette Use in LGBT Individuals in the Southeastern United States.

Background: Smoking prevalence for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals is higher than for heterosexual, cisgender individuals. Elevated smoking rates have been linked to psychiatric comorbidities, substance use, poverty, low education levels, and stress.

Objectives: This study examined mental health (MH) correlates of cigarette use in LGBT individuals residing in a metropolitan area in the southeastern United States.

Teachers' education, classroom quality, and young children's academic skills: results from seven studies of preschool programs.

In an effort to provide high-quality preschool education, policymakers are increasingly requiring public preschool teachers to have at least a Bachelor's degree, preferably in early childhood education. Seven major studies of early care and education were used to predict classroom quality and children's academic outcomes from the educational attainment and major of teachers of 4-year-olds. The findings indicate largely null or contradictory associations, indicating that policies focused solely on increasing teachers' education will not suffice for improving classroom quality or maximizing children's academic gains.