Bisexual Stigma,Sexual Violence,and Sexual Health Among Bisexual and Other Plurisexual Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Bisexual women experience higher rates of sexual victimization relative to heterosexual and lesbian women, and worse sexual health outcomes. Though these health disparities are well documented in the literature, few empirical data have been published on what factors are driving these disparities. Further, research documenting sexual victimization and health of plurisexual (i.e., attracted to more than one gender) women group all participants as bisexual. We do not know whether these experiences are similar across subgroups of plurisexual women. The current study reports on data from a cross-sectional survey, analyzing the relationships between bisexual-specific stigma and sexual violence, as well as other sexual health outcomes, across a sexually diverse group of plurisexual participants. Findings indicate that bisexual stigma is a significant predictor of lifetime sexual violence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.99, p = .015) and verbal coercion (OR = 2.60, p = .004), but not other outcomes. There are differences across sexual identity categories, with bisexual participants being less likely to report sexual violence and verbal coercion, and less likely to access sexually transmitted infection/human immunodeficiency syndrome testing, compared to other plurisexual groups. Our findings support that bisexual stigma is an important factor to consider in understanding sexual violence disparities experienced by bisexual and other plurisexual women.     

Improving Understanding About Tanning Behaviors in College Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: Melanoma is the second most common cancer diagnosed among 15- to 29-year-olds. This pilot study assessed behaviors, barriers, and beliefs relevant to sun exposure and protective behaviors. Participants: The sample comprised 153 undergraduate students at a large state university in western New York. Methods: Participants completed an online survey about sun safety habits, barriers to using sunblock, and beliefs about tanning and sun exposure. Results: Response rate was 90.8% (n = 139). Most students (87.8%) reportedly spent ≥ 3 hours per day outside in the summer, but only 17.3% reported always using sunblock during this time. Sixty percent reported recent indoor tanning and 41% reported more than 10 lifetime sunburns. The greatest barrier to using sunblock was forgetting (84.2%). Conclusions: Demographics coupled with inconsistent and low levels of sunblock use, high annual prevalence of indoor tanning, and multiple lifetime sunburns indicate that this sample is at high risk for skin cancer.     

The mental health demographic profile system: A longitudinal information system

This paper presents the plans currently being developed to make the Mental Health Demographic Profile System into a longitudinal information system useful for research and program planning. Topics discussed are as follows:

1. Development of a data base that contains 1960, 1970, and 1980 small areas (census tracts, MCDs or CCDs, counties). Preliminary tables for 1960,and 1970 will be displayed. Problems of identifying constant small areas for 1960 and 1970 are discussed.
2. Items to be included in the standard profile and items to be available for use (but not part of the standard profile) are discussed.
3. Improvement of access to the data system is discussed. This includes a discussion of the interactive programs being developed and the possible transfer of service and maintenance functions (but not development functions) to the National Center for Health Statistics.

     

RELATIVE FACTOR ENDOWMENTS AND INTERNATIONAL PORTFOLIO CHOICE

We present a model of international portfolio choice based on cross‐country differences in relative factor abundance. Countries have varying degrees of similarity in their factor endowment ratios, and are subject to aggregate productivity shocks. Risk‐averse consumers can insure against these shocks by investing their wealth at home and abroad. In a many‐good setup, the change in factor prices after a positive shock in a particular country provides insurance to countries that have dissimilar factor endowment ratios, but is bad news for countries with similar factor endowment ratios, since their incomes will worsen. Therefore countries with similar relative factor endowments have a stronger incentive to invest in one another for insurance purposes than countries with dissimilar endowments. The importance of this effect depends on the size of countries. Empirical evidence linking bilateral international equity investment positions to a proxy for relative factor endowments supports our theory: the similarity of host and source countries in their relative capital–labor ratios has a positive effect on the source country’s investment position in the host country. The effect of similarity is enhanced by the size of host countries.     

Intersection Bounds: Estimation and Inference

We develop a practical and novel method for inference on intersection bounds, namely bounds defined by either the infimum or supremum of a parametric or nonparametric function, or, equivalently, the value of a linear programming problem with a potentially infinite constraint set. We show that many bounds characterizations in econometrics, for instance bounds on parameters under conditional moment inequalities, can be formulated as intersection bounds. Our approach is especially convenient for models comprised of a continuum of inequalities that are separable in parameters, and also applies to models with inequalities that are nonseparable in parameters. Since analog estimators for intersection bounds can be severely biased in finite samples, routinely underestimating the size of the identified set, we also offer a median‐bias‐corrected estimator of such bounds as a by‐product of our inferential procedures. We develop theory for large sample inference based on the strong approximation of a sequence of series or kernel‐based empirical processes by a sequence of “penultimate” Gaussian processes. These penultimate processes are generally not weakly convergent, and thus are non‐Donsker. Our theoretical results establish that we can nonetheless perform asymptotically valid inference based on these processes. Our construction also provides new adaptive inequality/moment selection methods. We provide conditions for the use of nonparametric kernel and series estimators, including a novel result that establishes strong approximation for any general series estimator admitting linearization, which may be of independent interest.     

Assessing symptoms of hypogonadism by self-administered questionnaire: qualitative findings in patients and controls

Background. Current screening instruments for hypogonadism lack adequate specificity and diagnostic accuracy. A new self-administered questionnaire of hypogonadism symptoms is being developed to address this need. The process for questionnaire development and results from the first (qualitative) phase are presented.

Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted based on a new conceptual model of hypogonadism and according to standards for questionnaire development. An item pool was generated from focus groups and in-depth interviews with two groups of hypogonadal patients, treated (N = 26) and untreated (N = 26), and age-equivalent controls (N = 28). Standardized scoring of the qualitative interviews was used to confirm conceptual domains in the model and to generate questionnaire items for further validation.

Results. Key domains identified in both patients and controls included: (a) physical function; (b) bodily signs and symptoms; (c) sexual function and libido; (d) sleep function; (e) mood and affective function; (f) memory and cognitive function. The final domain is distress or bother associated with hypogonadism symptoms. This domain was only relevant to the patient groups.

Conclusions. The first stage in the design of a new hypogonadism screener has been completed. Seven domains were identified and draft items were developed in each domain according to current standards of patient-reported outcomes.     

Pathological Gambling and Treatment Outcomes for Adults Age 50 or Older in Methadone Maintenance Treatment

This study examined the relationship of pathological gambling to negative treatment outcomes for methadone maintenance patients aged 50 or older. The study included 130 methadone maintenance patients. Pathological gambling was determined using the Lie-Bet, a screen for pathological gambling; the outcomes were remaining in treatment and negative urine screens for drug use. Twenty percent of the sample identified as pathological gamblers. Pathological gambling was unrelated to remaining in treatment or negative urine screens. Although pathological gambling had no adverse influence on these treatment outcomes, the prevalence of pathological gambling suggests that screening for it may provide insights about other concerns.     

Parental attitudes regarding the integration of children living with HIV/AIDS into public schools in Hanoi,Vietnam

In some areas of Vietnam, stigmatisation of HIV-infected children by parents in the community represents a major barrier to integration of such youth into public schools. To investigate parental perceptions of integration, researchers interviewed a total of 60 parents from one rural and one urban school district within Hanoi, Vietnam. Resistance to integration stemmed largely from misinformation about disease transmission and worry about protecting HIV-negative children. Educational campaigns targeted at parents, combined with higher levels of trust in the preparedness of teachers to handle situations involving HIV-positive children, could decrease current stigma and opposition to integration into public primary schools.