Each week HuffPost Queer Voices, in a partnership with blogger Scout, LGBT HealthLink and researcher Corey Prachniak, 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.
Queer Hispanic Youth Face Major Health Risks
Researchers found that sexual minority Hispanic students in the Miami area had twice the odds of lifetime alcohol use, three times the odds of cigarette use, and almost four times the odds of drug use when compared to heterosexual Hispanics. These disparities appear even higher than those among all LGB youth, suggesting it may be worse for LGB Hispanics.
NYT Crossword Celebrates Transgender Acceptance
We know even microaggressions create bad health outcomes ― that’s why we like to celebrate all those ways we see micro- or macro-supports for the LGBT communities. Slate magazine is calling New York Times’s Sept. 1 crossword one of the most important in their history. In it, several words are able to be filled out with either and M or an F in one box, and the long “revealer” answer at the heart of the puzzle is the word “gender fluid.” Hear, hear!
Could Clinton’s Plan Improve LGBT Mental Health?
The Advocate opines that Hillary Clinton’s newly released mental health plan, which calls for better access to and integration of mental healthcare, could reduce disparities faced by LGBT people. Clinton’s proposal specifically calls for improved services for LGBT students, who face more than four times the odds of attempting suicide.
Urology Residents Lacking in Transgender Training, Exposure
A study found that nearly half of urology residents had neither training nor clinical exposure to transgender care, despite the key role urologists play in gender-affirming surgeries. Residents were three times as likely to learn about trans care through interacting with real patients than being formally taught.
How the ACA Helps Homeless Queer Youth
The Center for American Progress reports that the Affordable Care Act offers several avenues for homeless queer youth to get health insurance, though options are limited in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Up to 45 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT.
LGB Folks More Likely to Use “Alternative” Medicine
A study found that LGB young adults have about double the odds of using complimentary healthcare like massage therapy, chiropractors, and herbal remedies, compared with heterosexual young adults. This may be a means of avoiding traditional and less welcoming forms of care.
Hormone Therapy Ups Body Fat in Trans Women
An analysis of recent studies shows that trans women have an average 25 percent increase in body fat from undergoing hormone therapy, while trans men also gained weight but saw a decrease in body fat. This may put trans women at increased risk of cardiometabolic disease, including diabetes and heart disease.