Media Coverage Boosts Youth Seeking Care
LGBT HealthLink, 8/5/2020
Media Coverage Boosts Youth Seeking Care
Researchers found that local media coverage of gender identity issues resulted in a one-to-two week bump in new patients at gender-affirming clinics for youth. They studied two clinics (one in the U.K. and one in Australia) for eight years and found that seeing media coverage seemed to encourage young people to seek care. The results underscore the importance of visibility for transgender youth.
Now That We Have Your Attention…
A new study evaluated the effectiveness of different public health marketing strategies to get queer young men to participate in sexual health research. Using a variety of adds on a popular dating app, they found that one using sexual innuendo got more clicks and more people to ultimately sign up as study participants than did ads with more traditional public health messages.
Homelessness Impacting Youth during Pandemic
Newsday reported on the surge of LGBT youth experiencing homelessness as many young people struggle with unaccepting families during the pandemic, and either leave for their own safety or get kicked out. Despite many service providers and programs working to help these youth, many still end up sleeping outdoors or on couches as shelters are limited and not always considered LGBT-inclusive.
HIV Treatment Works Resources
The CDC published fresh resources for its Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign under the theme “HIV Treatment Works.” These include infographics discussing how receiving care for HIV can improve the quality of one’s life, as well as videos exploring the challenges and benefits of entering and being retained in care after receiving an HIV diagnosis.
HPV Vaccination among Queer Women
Researchers found that lesbian and bisexual women ages 18-34 were more likely than their heterosexual peers to both initiate the three-part HPV vaccination process and actually complete all three doses. Even so, the 35% of queer women who began the vaccination, and 24% of queer women who completed the process, falls well short of the government’s 80% vaccination goal.
California Begins Inclusive Data Collection
The LA Blade reported that California has begun to collect sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data on COVID-19 cases, as well as all other illnesses on which the state collects case data. The state made the decision through executive action while the state’s legislature still weighs a bill that would enshrine such collection by law. Few states have taken action to ensure LGBT folks are counted as the nation responds to the pandemic.
