On-Demand Panel Presentations


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Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

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Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

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Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • TBD

Panel: Drag Expression, Performance & Perception

    

A Rainbow for Reading: A Mixed-Methods Exploratory Study on Drag Queen Reading Programs

This exploratory mixed-methods study sought to understand some of the potential psychoeducational benefits of drag queen reading programs. A short mixed-methods survey was employed that asked caregivers about their experiences with drag queen reading programs. Since this is a topic with little prior research, ethnographic observations of three different drag queen reading programs were also completed to gain more knowledge of the public realm of a modality that challenges cisheteronormativity of gender expression. Over 86% of the respondents enjoyed the program and would recommend it to a friend. A majority of respondents (72%) shared that their children enjoyed the programming, and a little more than half (65%) felt like it was age appropriate. The qualitative results suggest that storytimes may be more effective if they cater to a specific developmental range (such as for all ages, toddlers and infants, and school-aged children). The qualitative and ethnographic results highlighted themes such as increased knowledge around gender expression and gender identity and teaching families more about acceptance and difference.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Brie Radis

  • Katharine Wenocur

  • Jeff Jinn

  • Colleen Keeler

Drag Expression and how it interfaces with Dragism, Coping, Resilience, and Generativity

This presentation will share the exploratory, qualitative findings of a pilot study (n=5) examining the lived experiences of older drag queens, age 50+. Drag queens are an “understudied population in the counseling literature, though they may possess unique characteristics as a subpopulation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community that are worthy of exploration” (Knutson, Koch, Sneed, and Lee, 2018, p. 32). Of particular interest is the unique expression of playing with and deconstructing gender and sexual categories. As Taylor and Rupp (2015) suggest, “... drag queens play with and deconstruct gender and sexual categories in their performances and the way this makes gender and sexual fluidity and oppression visible” (p. 2133). Research findings report that sexual minority youth experience bullying, anxiety and lower self-esteem at higher rates than their heterosexual and gender conforming peers (Jones, Robinson, Oginni, Rahman, & Rimes, 2017), however less data has been published related specifically to drag expression, and in particular, what it means to be an older adult drag queen. While it is documented that sexual minority youth report suicidal ideation at higher rates than heterosexual counterparts (Levasseur, Kelvin, Rosskopf, 2013; Mueller, James, Abrutyn, & Levin, 2015), this topic has not been studied as much among drag queens, particularly older drag queens, the population in this study. There are elevated rates of mental health problems among gender and sexual minority individuals and this requires that mental health professionals are knowledgeable about specific issues related to the mental health specifically targeted toward sexual minority individuals in the drag queen community population (Clark, et al., 2019). Several studies have noted the value of familial support and connectedness for sexual minority youth in their sexual identity development and as protective factors (Brandon-Friedman & Kim, 2016; Brown & Colbourne, 2005; Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006). Documenting and analyzing the experiences of older drag queens will better inform this less frequently studied sexual minority population. Utilizing the Grounded Theory method, this study aims to better understand the meaning of drag expression and if drag expression is a mechanism to a healthier state of self. More specifically, how drag expression is integrated with one’s persona and how it interfaces with dragism, coping, resilience, and generativity. This is significant because drag queens are an underrepresented and underserved population in the area of research (Knutson, Koch, Sneed, Lee, & Chung, 2020; O’Brien, 2018). In addition to sharing the qualitative findings, demographic and data measures of personality, coping, resilience, and mood will also be reported.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Laura Donorfio

  • Brian Chapman

  • Debra Tomasino

Panel: Service Access Experiences: Beyond Awareness, Toward Inclusion

    

Health care access at the intersections of sexual orientation, income, and sex in lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in California

no abstract available

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Ellesse-Roselee Akre

LGBTQIA+ Help-Seeking and Service Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Members of LGBTQIA+ populations often experience difficulty accessing support services, for reasons including but not limited to lack of resources, limited provider competency, and societal prejudice (David, Acevedo-Polakovich, Bell, Gamache, & Christian, 2011; Williams & Fish, 2020). When they do seek help, members of sexual and gender minority populations may receive inadequate, discriminatory, or stigmatizing treatment from providers; these issues have been demonstrated across several different areas of care, including healthcare (Romanelli & Hudson, 2017), mental health and counseling services (Williams & Fish, 2020), and responses to intimate partner violence (Calton, Cateano, & Gebhard, 2016). Information from social service providers corroborates these findings, with providers describing systemic barriers to service access (McIntyre, Daley, Rutherford, & Ross, 2012) and emphasizing the importance of continued competency trainings (Moe & Sparkman, 2015). The global COVID-19 pandemic has compounded many existing access barriers for underserved populations. For LGBTQIA+ individuals, this may mean experiencing social isolation and deteriorating mental health (Salerno, Williams, & Gattamora, 2020), becoming trapped in unsupportive or abusive living situations (Fish, McInroy, Paceley, Williams, Henderson, Levine, & Edsall, 2020), or delaying gender-affirming medical care (van der Miesen, Raaijmakers, & van de Grift, 2020). Consequently, researchers and practitioners have called for an examination of the ways in which the pandemic has impacted LGBTQIA+ populations’ health and wellbeing (DeMulder, Kraus-Perrota, & Zaidi, 2020; Wang, Pan, Liu, Wilson, Ou, & Chen, 2020). This research uses data from a study on LGBTQIA+ help-seeking and support. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with two participant groups. A sample of LGBTQIA+ individuals discussed their own help-seeking processes, access to formal and informal sources of support, and changes in access to support and resources during the pandemic. A sample of service providers working with LGBTQIA+ clients were asked about common barriers to service access among their client population, as well as how service provision has changed and adapted since the pandemic started. Implications and recommendations for increased future service availability, during the pandemic and in the future, are discussed.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Ellesse-Roselee Akre

Awareness is NOT enough: An examination of the relationship between school social worker and school counselor cultural competency and practice behavior in working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth

Objective: Despite increasing acceptance of individuals who identify within sexual and/or gender minority, troubling data shows that depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts, bullying victimization, and mood disorders are more common among the LGBTQ youth population than heterosexual youth. However, Human Rights Coalition LGBTQ Youth Report noted that youth do not feel school counselors and social workers are trained or equipped to meet their needs regarding their sexual/gender identity. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which school counselor /social worker cultural competency, including attitudes toward and beliefs, knowledge, and skills regarding LGB youth, impact practice behavior when working with LGB youth. Methods: With a sample of 313 professionals employed as school social workers or school counselors with grades K-12, this cross-sectional study used an online anonymous survey delivered on Qualtrics platform and included the Sexual Orientation Cultural Competency Scale (Bidell, 2005), Queer Youth Cultural Competency Scale (Gandy-Guedes, 2018), Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale- Short Form C (Reynolds, 1982) and Gay Affirmative Practice Scale (Crisp, 2002). Multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis. Results: Most respondents had a high Queer Youth Cultural Competency (QYCC) score and a high Sexual Orientation Cultural Competency Score (SOCCS), with the highest scores on SOCCS subscale of Awareness, with lower scores on subscales of Knowledge and Skills. Most respondents had a high Gay Affirmative Practice (GAP) score. Study findings support the hypothesis that, among school counselors and school social workers, a greater degree of cultural competence, including positive attitudes and beliefs toward, as well as increased knowledge about and skills working with LGB youth, is positively associated with more affirming practice behaviors when working with LGB youth. Conclusion: Based on increased “outness” and a rise in the number of individuals/families pursuing assistance regarding sexual orientation, the ongoing need to examine the relationship between cultural competency and practice behavior in school counseling professionals is supported. Respondents reported high awareness regarding work with lesbian, gay and bisexual students and indicated a lack of skills and knowledge when working with LGB youth with a desire for more education and professional development in this area.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Kerryann Silvestri

Towards Affirming and Inclusive Services: Knowledge of and Practice with LGBTQ+ Individuals at Risk of Sex Trafficking among Social Service Providers 

Social services that encounter LGBTQ+ people at risk of sex trafficking (ST) must provide inclusive and affirming services, specifically of gender and sexual orientation identities (Dank, Yahner, et al., 2015; Nichols, 2018; Schwarz & Britton, 2015). Inclusive and affirming school-based and social services (e.g. organizations that address ST, homelessness, foster care, intimate partner or sexual violence) are critically needed to facilitate engagement among hard-to-reach or hidden populations, including LGBTQ+ people at risk of ST (Mink, Lindley, & Weinstein, 2016). Service providers in such settings should anticipate encountering people with diverse genders and sexual orientations (as well as other intersectional identities, e.g. race, ability, indigeneity, citizenship status) and have established policies and practices to support these individuals (Choi, Wilson, Shelton, & Gates, 2015; Furman, Barata, Wilson, & Fante-Coleman, 2017). Despite growing evidence suggesting that LGBTQ+ individuals are at risk of sex trafficking, the ways in which social service providers address this population remain understudied. This study uses a directed content analysis approach to understand providers’ perceived knowledge of and practice with LGBTQ+ individuals at risk of sex trafficking. We conducted 24 semi-structured, in-depth interviews of social service providers who knowingly encounter sex trafficked people (predominantly youth and young adults) in a region of a Midwestern state. Providers had a range of knowledge and practice strategies. Providers who encountered LGBTQ+ people struggled in understanding that (1) fluidities are common in sexual identity and gender development; and (2) particular terms should not be used to describe sexual orientation and gender because they connote a chosen or voluntary nature. In addition, some providers held problematic assumptions regarding both ST risk among LGBTQ+ individuals and that experiences of trauma influenced LGBTQ+ people’s sexual orientation and gender identities.  Those who did encounter LGBTQ+ people at risk of ST spoke to gaps in services, particularly for trans clients. In addition, providers’ knowledge and practice strategies generally reflected an (outdated) understanding of gender/sexual orientation identities as stagnant and binary. Social service providers have an important opportunity to provide inclusive and affirming services to all individuals that both recognizes the unique strengths as well as risks of LGBTQ+ individuals at risk of sex trafficking. Affirming, inclusive, client-centered services can be a critical means for increasing access and engagement along with fostering resilience. In particular, providers hold unique opportunities to support diverse clients, validate their experiences, and make critical referrals. Implications for practice with both LGBTQ+ youth and adults and future research are discussed.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Anna Pederson

  • Lara Gerassi

Panel: Queering Methodologies

    

Ethical Challenges in LGBTQ+ Community-Based Research: Individual Responsibilities and Systemic Constraints

Community-based research (CBR), which aims to collaborate with communities, has been employed as an alternative approach to how research is traditionally conducted. The strengths of CBR include engaging with community partners who bring unique strengths, developing collaborative research goals that reflect community needs, mobilizing community knowledge and action to bring about social change, and empowering marginalized community members to experience full and equal citizenship. However, there are many barriers to the implementation of genuinely equitable and participant-centered community research (Flicker et al., 2007; Israel, 2005; Beltrán & Mehrotra, 2015 ). For example, despite CBR’s emphasis on equal partnership, power differentials between academic and peer researchers are inevitable, often leading academic researchers to be the primary decision-makers (Mikesell, Bromley, & Khodyakov, 2013). This presentation discusses challenges in CBR through a self-reflection of the principal presenter who was recruited as a Master of Social Work (MSW) student researcher for a CBR project. This CBR project aimed to understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ newcomer “women” and the research team consisted of academic and peer researchers and community service providers. Yet, the research faced an ethical challenge due to the decision to include trans men and non-binary individuals as participants in the study, which was intended to study the experiences of LGBTQ+ newcomer “women.” After the data was collected, a new MSW student researcher, who is the co-presenter, joined the research team. Upon reviewing the collected data, he identified that calling trans men and non-binary individuals “women” was misgendering and unethical. Further discussion with the co-presenter led the principal presenter to reflect on her unpreparedness to engage in the CBR with LGBTQ+ newcomers, and systemic issues and oppression, which were implicated in the ethical issue. While academic researchers have individual responsibilities to uphold the ethics and values of CBR, structural issues, such as limited funding, time, and personnel, and organizational pressures can lead well-intended academic researchers to engage in the potentially oppressive practice for the communities addressed by CBR. In addition, the presenters also recognized the absence of discussions about trans and non-binary identities and the detrimental consequences of misgendering trans and non-binary individuals in social work education, creating a lack of trans sensitivity among social work researchers. This presentation also discusses the issue of identity politics, which tends to overlook diversity within LGBTQ+ communities, in CBR with LGBTQ+ communities (Moran, 2020; Cover, 2013). As LGBTQ+ communities comprise of individuals with diverse gender and sexual identities, it is essential for research teams to develop a comprehensive understanding of diverse gender and sexual identities to follow ethical practice in CBR with LGBTQ+ communities. The presenters will make recommendations to address these challenges and foster genuinely inclusive, equitable, and ethical CBR with LGBTQ+ communities through an anti-oppressive practice lens.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Viveka Ichikawa

  • Ryosuke Takamatsu

Why is Queer Science Not More Queer?

Queer theory has a long history in the humanities, but has only more recently influenced the natural and social sciences. The people of queer people have become the focus of many studies in the natural and social sciences, from their health, to political rights, family issues, and intersectional identity constructions. However, there has been a much slower adoption of queer ideas into these disciplines. Researchers are willing to study queer bodies and lives, but not transform their knowledge production processes to conform to queer critiques. The purpose of this presentation is to ask a simple and yet highly complex question - why? Why are there are no published works that outline or detail an explicitly queer philosophy of science, despite the large corpus of works in related areas of inquiry, such as feminist and intersectional philosophies of science. Why is queer science trapped in the cycle of critique and not the construction of newer, queerer knowledge? Why do queer scientists feel as if they need to compromise their queer identities or queer theories, adapting them and molding them around the norms of science, in a way that feminist science did not? In sum - why is queer science not more queer? In this paper, I will delve into the history of identarian philosophies of science in order to investigate what has worked and not worked through development of these philosophies. In doing so, I argue that the queer scientists cannot fully rely on allied domains of knowledge (such as feminist philosophies of science) because of the inherent differences between these communities and their sociopolitical projects (Hall 2017). In order to illustrate these points, I will be drawing most directly on the discipline of archaeology. This is not only the discipline I have been classically trained in, but archaeology sits at a fascinating nexus of the natural/social sciences and humanities, making it an ideal case study for the various ways scholars have either implemented or resisted queer theorizing in their disciplines. The inclusion (or lack thereof) of queer theory in archaeology has a long and fraught history, ever since Dowson (2000) proposed. I will use many examples from the history and theory of archaeology, along with examples from my own ethnographic research, to illustrate that queer science has not been so queer, and to propose some queer-er alternatives to archaeological method and theory.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Nathan Klembara

Assessing Multiple Minority Stress among African American LGBT Women: A Review of Psychometric Scales

Greater understanding about multiple minority stress can contribute to improved health outcomes for African American women. To date, there is a paucity of literature reviewing psychometric scales relevant to African American LGBT women. Much of the available research on minority stress and microaggressions scales is relatively new and emergent, therefore this presentation offers a preliminary review of seven scales designed to assess the perception and frequency of multiple minority stress among African American LGBT women. African American women, in comparison to European American women, report a higher prevalence of psychosocial distress that is associated with discrimination (Calabrese et al., 2015; Carr et al., 2014; Diggins et al., 2015; Office of Minority Health, 2019). This psychosocial stress contributes to African American women aging 7.5 years faster than European American women of similar chronological age (Geronimus et al., 2010). However, the consequences of distress are not the same for all subgroups of African American women. For example, correlates of psychosocial stress for African American gay and transgender women include higher risks of suicide attempt, higher rates of suicide related to coping with outness, and more depressive symptomology due to higher exposure to prejudice and violent events (Cochran & Mays, 1994; Glynn et al., 2016). Practitioners are likely to encounter clients with multiple minority stress attributable to gendered racism (Carr et al., 2014) and microaggressions based on race, sex, and sexual orientation (Bowleg et al., 2003). Therefore, scales that determine pre-treatment levels of psychosocial and multiple minority stress must be used in order to effectively assist these clients. At present, there is a scarcity of literature on psychometric scales sensitized to measure intersectionality of oppression and discern psychosocial distress from multiple minority stress. As a result, there may be less awareness among practitioners about the availability and rigor of psychometric instrumentation. Similar to Utsey (1998), this presentation reviews seven scales developed to assess perception and frequency of multiple minority stress among African American women. In this presentation, African American women includes samples of cisgender and transgender women self-identified as Black or of African descent and American nationality and lesbian, gay, or bisexual. African American lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) women may experience psychosocial stress and microaggressions on account of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, and a number of other social factors. Psychosocial stress related to these experiences can impact their physical and mental health and contribute to mental health disparities (Gómez, 2015). Therefore, this presentation evaluates the utility of existing scales to measure multiple minority stress, which involves the interconnectedness of gendered racism, microaggressions, and LGBT minority stress.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • V. Nikki Jones

Panel: Experiences in Higher Education

    

LGBTQ Student Experiences and Perceptions in Christian Higher Education: An Exploration of Institutional Climate and LGBTQ Persistence

Dissertation purpose (research still in progress) The purpose of my research is to document and understand LGBTQ student experiences at Christian institutions, some of which might negatively impact their ability to persevere and persist when these students’ identities conflict with their institutions’ campus culture. In order to improve the educational environment for LGBTQ students at Christian institutions and provide guidance in navigating unwelcoming campuses, it is important to understand how LGBTQ students perceive the campus climate and sense of self within it as suggested by Vaccaro et al. (2015). For Christian institutions to fulfill their commitment to student success, which includes the success of their LGBTQ students, it is crucial to provide institutions with the resources to understand the struggles this population faces and to educate leaders about effective ways to support LGBTQ students.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Anthony Ungaro

Queering the classroom: Safety and coping among LGBTQ+ faculty teaching diversity courses

LGBTQ+ individuals experience discrimination regularly (Katz-Wise & Hyde, 2012), including within academic arenas. When LGBTQ+ individuals are in teaching roles, they may hide their sexual/gender identities for fear of backlash from students and administrators (Bettinger et al., 2006; Ewing et al., 2003). Although LGBTQ+ educators are protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1994 (Albrecht, 2020), many continue to face unique stressors given their marginalized identities (Meyer, 2003). Beyond external forms of discrimination, these stressors can also include fear of anticipated prejudice or rejection. The purpose of this study is to explore stressors and fears that LGBTQ+ instructors face when teaching college-level diversity courses. Further, we aim to identify the forms of self-care used to combat these stressors. Methods A qualitative online survey was administered with participants (N=84) who taught at least one diversity course in family science or social work since Fall 2016 at a U.S.-based college or university. Participants were primarily white (75%), cisgender woman (79%), heterosexual (70%), and a mean age range of 40-49. This study used the data from the n = 25 LGBTQ+ faculty and included two questions: 1. Do you ever feel unsafe – either personally or professionally – discussing social inequities in the classroom? 2. What types of self-care do you engage in to manage your own feelings and experiences related to your social location? Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis (Schreier, 2012). Results In discussing their sense of safety in the classroom, participants discussed an expectation of rejection (Meyer, 2003). One participant stated, “I do sometimes worry students will write me off as a ‘crazy trans person’…I worry that their evaluations might put me at risk.” Another participant feared professional ramifications: “I sometimes feel unsafe because I fear negative evaluations that could impact my future tenure application.” These fears were often based on their LGBTQ+ identity. One participant said, “I feel unsafe b/c I teach in the Deep South and I’m a skoliosexual cisgender female married to a non-binary transman.” Another reported, “there have been times that I have been less comfortable, particularly around issues of sexual orientation & religion...” Results emphasize the importance of the intersectionality of faculty members’ social locations. Participants stated they felt safer due to protections based on other identities. One participant said, “No [I do not feel unsafe.] I think I experience a bit of privilege as a white male professor teaching cultural competence.” Another stated, “No [because] I am also a tenured professor.” Implications Results of this study shed light on anticipated stressors LGBTQ+ faculty members face when teaching diversity courses. Further, these findings emphasize critical coping strategies. Seeking community was a popular strategy utilized by participants: “I socialized with my fellow queer/trans colleagues,” and “I vent with colleagues and make sure to attend queer-focused conferences that allow me to be with similar others…to feel rejuvenated and remind myself that I am not alone.” These findings are important for individuals and the system, in ensuring LGBTQ+ faculty receive the support and resources they need.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Elizabeth Holman

  • Megan Paceley

Panel: Health & Wellbeing

    

Examining Predictors of Physical Intimate Partner Violence Among Lesbian, Bisexual and Heterosexual Women

Background & Purpose: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a global health crisis, disproportionately affecting women. Among other health indicators, IPV is linked to poor mental health in the general population. Lesbian and bisexual (LB) women, already experiencing significant mental health disparities due to heterosexist social stigma, may be at even greater risk for IPV than their heterosexual counterparts, based on convenience and community-based samples. This study is among the first to use population-based data to whether 1) LB women are at greater risk for IPV than their heterosexual counterparts, and 2) what sociodemographic characteristics and physical and mental health indicators are associated with IPV among LB women. Methods: We conducted secondary data analyses of the 2013 Utah Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (UT-BRFFS) (N = 12,769). Only participants who answered the physical IPV victimization and sexual orientation questions (n = 5,859) were included: straight 97.7% (n = 5,725); lesbian 1% (n = 59); and bisexual 1% (n = 61). Physical IPV victimization (IPV) was assessed via a dichotomous question: “has an intimate partner ever hit, slapped, pushed, kicked, or hurt you in any way?” (yes/no). Sexual orientation was determined by response to the question “do you consider yourself to be straight, lesbian/gay, or bisexual?” Controlling for sociodemographic variables, we computed hierarchical logistic regression models to examine whether general health and depression significantly predicted IPV, Results: Bivariate analysis reveal that 27.1% of lesbians and 42.6% of bisexual women experienced IPV, compared to the 18.1% of straight women. Compared to straight women, IPV was not significant among lesbians (OR = 1.35; p = .33). Bisexual women were at significantly greater risk IPV than straight women (OR = 2.54; p =. 001). Women who graduated high school were significantly less likely to experience physical IPV than women who did not graduate high school (OR = .71; p =. 031), as were those whose income was > $50,000 or more, compared to those whose income was < $50,000 (OR = .59; p = .001). Those aged 35-54 were significantly more likely to experience IPV than those age 18-34 (OR = 1.52; p = .001), as were non-white women compared to white women (OR = 1.40; p = .003).Women who reported fair to excellent general health were less likely to have experienced IPV than those who reported theirs as poor (OR = .57; p = .001). Women who were told they had a depressive disorder significantly more likely to report IPV than women who had not (OR = 2.45; p = .001). Conclusions & Implications: This study provides further evidence for the need for social work science to promote a more inclusive approach to IPV. Bisexual women are among the most marginalized groups in society. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of IPV risk among bisexual women will contribute to identifying and addressing barriers to health equity in social work research, practice, and policy. The current paucity of research focused on IPV among bisexual women provides opportunities for social work to address one of our grand challenges.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Bobby Younce

Treatments for depression in sexual minority women: What’s out there and what works?

Given the persistence of mental health disparities affecting sexual minority women (SMW) compared to heterosexuals, including depression (Bostwick et al., 2010; Chaudhry & Reisner, 2019; Hughes et al., 2014; Pyra et al., 2014), there is a need to identify and utilize effective LGBTQ population-specific clinical interventions. Culturally tailored depression treatments for SMW, such as counseling, psychotherapy, and support groups, have the potential to improve access, entry, and retention in clinical services in order to improve mental health outcomes in this population (McCann & Brown, 2020; Steele et al., 2017). However, there are limited treatments that have been developed for treating depression in LGBTQ individuals (McGeough & Aguilera, 2020) and even fewer with evidence of acceptability and efficacy for SMW. 2,464 articles were screened across 5 key scholarly databases to identify these interventions. 12 articles discussing 13 different interventions were identified; one article presented results on two interventions. Interventions addressing depression in sexual minority women ranged widely, including individual (62%), couples (15%), group (15%), and mixed treatments (8%). 69% of the interventions were developed in the USA and the remaining were from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK. Several (31%) were online treatment programs, either fully self-guided or completed in tandem with counseling sessions. Approaches underlying the interventions included Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (46%), writing therapies (23%), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (8%), Time-limited Psychodynamic Therapy (8%), and Compassion-Focused Therapy (8%). Additionally, concepts of minority stress, multiple oppressions, self-affirmation, and self-stigma were cited as theories behind several interventions. These 13 interventions were described through study protocol articles (31%), feasibility, acceptability, or uncontrolled pilot study findings (31%) and randomized control trial findings (38%). Of the interventions with completed randomized control trials, there was only modest to moderate evidence supporting their effectiveness for treating depression in SMW. Therefore, there is a need to further develop, test, and implement evidence-based treatments for depression in this specific population of LGBTQ individuals.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Angie Wootton

Identifying Health Disparities at the Intersection of Age, Sex, Gender & Race

The Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment collects data on a wide variety of health measures related to experiences with healthcare providers, mental health, substance use, tobacco use, cancer, sexual health, and financial security. The needs assessment was first piloted in 2015, with the Pennsylvania Department of Health partnering with numerous LGBTQ community-based organizations to collect regional data. In that year, 4,066 responses were included in the data set. Since then, the assessment has been conducted statewide in 2018 and 2020, with each year engaging a larger and more diverse pool of respondents (n=4,679 and n=6,582). In 2020, efforts were made to increase participation from youth under 18 years of age (n=676), Black/African American people (n=451), Hispanic/Latinx people (n=473), transgender people (n=1,722), and people with intersex traits (n=110). These efforts included using more inclusive language in the survey design--particularly in questions about sex assigned at birth and gender identity--and in recruitment materials, along with implementing more targeted recruitment strategies by partnering with community-based organizations specializing in serving these demographic groups. Reviewing the implementation and results of this biannual needs assessment over the past five years will demonstrate how using more inclusive language in survey design and more targeted promotion strategies have helped to increase participation, as well as how increased participation has contributed to a greater understanding of health disparities for people of multiple marginalized identities. Health disparities identified within the LGBTQ community include healthcare discrimination, experiences with homelessness, suicidal ideation, and tobacco use. With each additional survey implementation, the ability to examine these disparities over time, and in the context of policy change and impactful events (such as the COVID-19 pandemic) improves. Results from the 2020 health needs assessment showed that 35.5% of transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer respondents had experienced a negative reaction from healthcare providers due to their LGBT identity, compared to 18.6% of cisgender respondents; additionally, 19.1% of people of color surveyed experienced a negative reaction from a healthcare provider due to their race. While 21.1% of respondents overall had experienced homelessness in their lifetime, the experience was more common for people of color (30.6%) and transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer people (30.7%). Fifty-six percent of all respondents had considered suicide in their lifetime; this figure was elevated for youth (71.3%) and transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer people (74.5%). The current smoking rate was estimated to be 14.6% for all respondents and 30.5% among respondents who had ever smoked, whereas the current smoking rate for transgender, nonbinary, or genderqueer respondents was 15.7-34.2%, for youth was 10.0-35.9%, and for LGBTQ people of color was 18.1-37.0%.

Access Symposium

Pre-Recorded

  • not eligible for CEUs

Presenters

  • Adrian Shanker

  • Mara Aussendorf

  • Jennifer Keith

  • Katie Suppes