Objective-This study estimates the prevalence of eating disorders in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) men and women, and examines the association between participation in the gay community and eating disorder prevalence in gay and bisexual men.Method-One hundred and twenty six white heterosexuals and 388 white, black, Latino LGB men and women were sampled from community venues. DSM-IV diagnoses of anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder were assessed using the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview.Results-Gay and bisexual men had significantly higher prevalence estimates of eating disorders than heterosexual men. There were no differences in eating disorder prevalence between lesbian and bisexual women and heterosexual women, or across gender or racial groups. Attending a gay recreational group was significantly related to eating disorder prevalence in gay and bisexual men.
Conclusion-Researchers should study the causes of the high prevalence of eating disorders among gay and bisexual men.
Objective-This study examines the association between eating disorders and a history of childhood abuse in gay and bisexual men, and how substance abuse and depression might impact this relationship.Method-193 white, black, Latino gay, and bisexual men were sampled from community venues. DSM-IV diagnoses of anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder were assessed using the World Health Organization's Composite International Diagnostic Interview.Results-Men with a history of childhood sexual abuse are significantly more likely to have subclinical bulimia or any current full-syndrome or subclinical eating disorder compared with men who do not have a history of childhood sexual abuse. A history of depression and/or substance use disorders did not mediate this relationship.
Conclusion-Researchersshould study other potential explanations of the relationship between a history of childhood abuse and eating disorders in gay and bisexual men. Clinicians working with gay and bisexual men who have a history of childhood abuse should assess for disordered eating as a potential mechanism to cope with the emotional sequelae associated with abuse.
This study examined the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV sexual risk behavior using a probability sample of 912 Latino gay and bisexual men from three U.S. cities. Prevalence estimates of psychological, physical, and sexual abuse are higher in our sample than usually found in the general population of gay and bisexual or heterosexual men, with 52% reporting some type of abuse. IPV also was associated with being HIV positive. Controlling for HIV status, age, and immigrant status, all three dimensions of IPV--psychological, [RR = 2.42; 95% CI = 1.02, 5.78], physical, [RR = 2.86; 95% CI = 1.21, 6.74], and sexual abuse [RR = 4.63; 95% CI = 1.63, 13.18]--were, overall, associated with significantly greater likelihood of unprotected receptive anal intercourse with a non-monogamous partner. Sexual abuse [RR = 3.22; 95% CI = 1.00, 10.37], emerged as significant even while controlling for the other two dimensions of IPV.
Using a probability sample of 912 Latino gay and bisexual men at bars in 3 U.S. cities (Los Angeles, Miami, New York), this study examines how participation in difficult sexual situations with interpersonal (e.g., wanting to please partner) and circumstantial constraints (e.g., sex in partner's home) may explain associations between dimensions of intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV sexual risk behavior (unprotected anal intercourse with nonmonogamous partner). Findings suggest that all IPV types contribute to greater participation in sexual situations with circumstantial constraints, and that psychological and sexual IPV are also associated with higher likelihood of unprotected receptive anal intercourse with a nonmonogamous partner. Circumstantial constraints fully mediate the difference attributable to psychological IPV and partially mediate the difference attributable to sexual IPV. Intimacy concerns were unrelated to either IPV or HIV risk behavior. Results suggest HIV prevention and research should investigate immediate circumstances of the sexual encounter that may make engaging in HIV sexual risk behavior more likely.
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