Each week HuffPost Queer Voices, in a partnership with blogger Scout, LGBT HealthLink and researcher Susana Fajardo, brings you a round up of some of the biggest LGBT wellness stories from the past seven days. For more LGBT Wellness, visit our page dedicated to the topic here.
How Long You Live In San Francisco Might Affect Your HIV Risk
A new study among gay and bi men in San Francisco found that men who had lived in the city for more than five years had a much higher likelihood of having HIV than people who lived in the city for a year or less -- even after adjusting for other possible factors.
Humana Discriminated Against People With HIV/AIDS
Health insurance company Humana has been fined $500,000 for discriminating against Floridians with HIV/AIDS -- a group that is disproportionately LGBTQ. This kind of discrimination has real, and harsh, consequences for people’s health. Kudos to Florida’s regulators for stepping in, but why only $500,000?
Partner Support A Big Deal For Lesbians With PTSD
A supportive partner can make a big difference for women veterans with PTSD, a new study found. When PTSD symptoms got worse, lesbians with low support from their partners became dissatisfied with their relationships much quicker than straight women in the same situation. But when they had high support from their partners the straight women’s relationship satisfaction worsened much quicker than for the lesbians’.
STI Infection Eases Path for HIV -- Hits Blacks Harder than Whites
A recent study of gay and bi men getting routine STI screenings found that nearly 10% of black men had an STI, a rate much higher than white men at the same clinic. Later, the people with an STI were 2.5 times more likely to get HIV than men without one. Black men had much higher STI rates than the white men so they were hit much harder by HIV. This just seems unfair.
Including Gay Men in PrEP Programs Makes People Like Them Less
Well, people are awful. A new study looking at prejudice found that people were given the choice they were less likely to support a program making PrEP affordable to gay or black gay men than they were to support a general program. The more prejudice, the less support for gay men. So, being inclusive of gay men might actually hurt support for PrEP programs.
LGBTQ Health Experts Meet with HHS Assistant Secretary DeSalvo
Once a year HHS gathers representatives from their LGBT Coordinating Committee and convenes a meeting with LGBT health experts. This year's meeting was last Friday and it featured the Assistant Secretary of Health, Dr. Karen DeSalvo. Topline takeaways were gratitude for all the many gains HHS has made in the last few years, continued concerns around data collection, and some interesting ideas on how to make sure the momentum continues through the coming administration change.