Stigma may strain the heart health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. To date, however, LGB-related differences in cardiovascular diagnosis, risk factors, and basal biomarkers are inconsistently reported. Using a laboratory-based stress paradigm, the current study assessed whether cardiovascular stress reactivity differs as a function of sexual orientation and disclosure status ("coming out") in a sample of healthy young LGB and heterosexual adults. Eighty-seven participants aged 18-45 (M = 24.61 ± 0.61 SE) identifying as LGB and heterosexual (47%) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test, a well-validated laboratory stressor involving public speaking and mental arithmetic. Throughout a two-hour session, ambulatory recordings for heart rate and blood pressure were collected. Self-report questionnaires were also administered to assess psychosocial and demographic variables. Gay/bisexual men showed higher heart rate and lesbian/bisexual women showed marginally higher mean arterial blood pressure in response to a stressor, compared to sex- and age-matched heterosexuals. No significant differences emerged when comparing LGB individuals who had completely disclosed and those that had not completely disclosed their sexual orientation to family and friends. Compared to heterosexuals, heart rate is higher among gay/bisexual men and blood pressure is marginally higher among lesbian/bisexual women when exposed to a laboratory-based stressor. These preliminary findings contribute to small literature on sexual orientation differences in stress reactive biomarkers that requires further exploration. Lay abstract In response to stress exposure in a laboratory, gay/bisexual men showed higher heart rate than heterosexual men. By contrast, lesbian/bisexual showed a non-significant tendency towards higher blood pressure than heterosexual women. These preliminary findings suggest that the heart health of LGB individuals might be strained by stigma exposure.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10253890.2019.1579793 | DOI Listing |
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States.
Background: Improving adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) via digital health interventions (DHIs) for young sexual and gender minority men who have sex with men (YSGMMSM) is promising for reducing the HIV burden. Measuring and achieving effective engagement (sufficient to solicit PrEP adherence) in YSGMMSM is challenging.
Objective: This study is a secondary analysis of the primary efficacy randomized controlled trial (RCT) of Prepared, Protected, Empowered (P3), a digital PrEP adherence intervention that used causal mediation to quantify whether and to what extent intrapersonal behavioral, mental health, and sociodemographic measures were related to effective engagement for PrEP adherence in YSGMMSM.
Psychol Addict Behav
January 2025
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville.
Objective: Previous research has found that momentary positive affect precedes alcohol use, whereas results have been more mixed for negative affect.
Method: This study replicates and builds upon this literature by using a heavy drinking sample, half lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, and other minoritized sexual and gender identities (LGBTQ+) individuals.
Results: This study found that positive affect was related to subsequent alcohol use, but the relation was weaker for LGBTQ+ individuals compared to cisgender-straight individuals.
J Pers Soc Psychol
January 2025
Department of Psychology, University of Washington.
Seven preregistered studies (total = 2,443) demonstrate that feedback receptivity of people in power, or their openness to feedback, reduces bias concerns among members of marginalized groups (marginalized group meta-analytic = 0.53; nonmarginalized group meta-analytic = 0.10).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Womens Health
January 2025
Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
Purpose: While several studies demonstrate an association between reproductive coercion or a lack of reproductive autonomy and decreased mental health in women, little is known about potential mental health impacts when women are denied prescription contraceptives. The aim of this research was to explore associations between prescription contraceptive denial and perceived ease of future access to contraception, and self-assessed mental health.
Patients And Methods: Polish women (N=424) completed an anonymous online survey with demographic questions; perceived stress (PSS-10), state anxiety (STAI-X1), and depression (CESD-R) assessments, and contraceptive access questions.
J Adv Pract Oncol
July 2024
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
Background: Although advancements in multiple myeloma therapy have rapidly evolved, pervasive racial and social inequities prevent uniform benefit across diverse patient populations. This affects access to US Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments and to clinical studies. The impact of health-care inequities is not well understood and thus, the development of effective strategies is inadequate.
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