June 2008 American Journal of Public Health Highlights: Health of LGBT Populations

Newswise — The article below will be published online April 29, 2008, at 4 p.m. (ET) by the American Journal of Public Health under "First Look" at http://www.ajph.org/first_look.shmtl, and they are currently scheduled to appear in the June 2008 print issue of the Journal. "First Look" articles have undergone peer review, copyediting and approval by authors but have not yet been printed to paper or posted online by issue. The American Journal of Public Health is published by the American Public Health Association, http://www.apha.org, and is available at http://www.ajph.org.

(1) Significant proportion of U.S. population reports prescription medication sharing

To examine the prevalence of prescription medication sharing, researchers conducted one-on-one interviews with 700 participants across the nation. Researchers found that 22.9 percent of the participants reported loaning their prescription medications to someone else, and 26.9 percent reported borrowing prescription medications. The medications most frequently shared were allergy medications, pain medications and antibiotics.

"Prescription medication sharing can lead to adverse outcomes at the societal level through such consequences as ineffective use of the health system and increased antibiotic resistance, and at the personal level through such effects as decreased treatment efficacy and increased risk for side effects and drug interactions," the study's authors said. [From: Beyond Abuse and Exposure: Framing the Impact of Prescription-Medication Sharing. ]

(2) Young adult men who have sex with men experience high levels of hate crimes

Using data from a prospective study of 521 young men who have sex with men, researchers examined the prevalence of sexual orientation-related physical assault in the greater Vancouver region of British Columbia. Researchers found that 16 percent of the study sample reported ever experiencing assault related to actual or perceived sexual orientation. Prevalence of these assaults was independently associated with younger age and the age at which MSM came out. Additionally, Canadian Aboriginal ethnicity was associated with increased risk.

"The high levels of previous abuse and incident assault we observed among young MSM in this study suggest the importance of developing interventions to reduce violence against persons who are both sexual and ethnic minorities," the study's authors said. [From: Incidence of and Risk Factors for Sexual Orientation-Related Physical Assault Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men. ]

(3) Meeting partners both online and offline associated with higher sexual risk among men who have sex with men

Researchers examined nationwide the characteristics of young Internet-using men who have sex with men (MSM), aged 18 to 24 years, and risks associated with seeking sex online, offline and through both strategies. They found that significantly more Internet-using MSM who had met partners both online and offline reported unprotected anal intercourse than did those who had met partners exclusively online or offline.

"Our results suggest that rather than focusing on the dangers of online sex seeking, Internet-based programs, similar to offline interventions, should encourage young MSM who are at risk to reduce their numbers of sexual partners, decrease the frequency at which they engage in unprotected anal intercourse, avoid alcohol and other substance use in sexual situations, and seek HIV testing," the study's authors said. [From: Sexual Risk Taking Among Young Internet-Using Men Who Have Sex With Men. ]

The American Journal of Public Health is the monthly Journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the oldest and most diverse organization of public health professionals in the world. APHA is a leading publisher of books and periodicals promoting sound scientific standards, action programs and public policy to enhance health. More information is available at www.apha.org.

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