01-04-2008 | Original Paper | Uitgave 4/2008
Comparison of HIV Risks among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Heterosexual Homeless Youth
- Tijdschrift:
- Journal of Youth and Adolescence > Uitgave 4/2008
Belangrijke opmerkingen
Rashmi Gangamma is a Ph.D student in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at The Ohio State University. She completed her Masters in Social Work at Mangalore University, India, and M.Phil in Psychiatric Social Work from the National Institute of Mental Health and NeuroSciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India. Her research interests include qualitative research methodology, family therapy process and GLBT issues.
Natasha Slesnick, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Science at the Ohio State University. She received her Ph.D. in 1996 from the University of New Mexico. Her research and clinical focus is on families and adolescents with issues pertaining to homelessness, substance use, childhood abuse, depression and high risk behaviors. Her current research projects concentrate on the development and evaluation of effective interventions for runaway and homeless youth and their families.
Paula Toviessi is a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at The Ohio State University. She completed her B.S. in Psychology at Norfolk State University and her M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy at Purdue University, Calumet. She is currently conducting research on family health and the health decision-making process.
Julianne Serovich, Ph.D., is Professor and Chair in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, The Ohio State University. She received her Ph.D. in 1991 from the University of Georgia. Her primary program of research centers on investigating the role of HIV disclosure to family and friends in reducing sexual risk related behaviors in men and mental health outcomes in women. To this end she has conducted 3 major studies investigating HIV disclosure behaviors in gay males, and heterosexual males and females.
Abstract
Youth who are homeless and gay, lesbian or bisexual (GLB) are one of the most disenfranchised and marginalized groups in our society. The purpose of this study is to examine and compare HIV in GLB homeless youth with their heterosexual counterparts. Participants for this study included 268 youth involved in treatment outcome studies with substance abusing homeless youth. Results suggest that GLB youth have greater HIV risks and that these risks are greater among bisexual females. In examining the predictors of sexual health risks, survival sex emerged as the most significant. Survival sex was high among females regardless of their sexual orientation and also among gay males. Implications of these findings suggest that a greater emphasis needs to be paid to preventive interventions among this population.