Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning Young Adults in Maine, Spring 2006

1
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and
Questioning Young Adults in Maine, Spring 2006

• Kate Perkins Ronni Katz
• with assistance from former staff of Outright
  Portland

2
Context - Historical

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
  Report of the Secretarys Task Force on Youth
  Suicide 1989 Gay Male and Lesbian Youth Suicide.
  20 of GLBT have substance abuse problems
• Garofalo R et al. Sexual orientation and risk of
  suicide attempts among a representative sample of
  youth Arch.Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1999
  153487-93. Gay and bisexual males nearly four
  times more likely to attempt suicide than their
  straight peers.

3
Context - National

• Massachusetts
• 1999 YRBS as cited by Advocates for Youth
• 33 of GLB hs students reported attempting
  suicide vs. 8 of heterosexual peers
• 2005 YRBS DOE report
• 24.8 of GLB high school students reported
  attempting suicide vs. 6 of heterosexual peers

4
Youth Alternatives 2005

• 108 surveys 07/04 06/05 GLBTQ age 22 and
  younger via Outright chapters, Pride festivals,
  and Maine Youth Summit
• 82 reported having accessed services
• 35.5 Medical Services
• 62.6 Mental Health Services
• 1.8 Substance Use Services
• Need additional services
• Counseling, Medical Services, School-based
  Services
• Reasons for not accessing services ( out of 82)
• Could handle problem on own (39), Thought problem
  wasnt serious (26), Bad experience with
  professionals (26), Services too expensive (25),
  Did not know who to trust for professional advice
  (25)

5
Jordan Bosse 2005

• 90 participants age 15-28
• Outreach through Outright and Maine Youth Summit
  (2005), agencies, social groups
• In person paper surveys and on-line through
  www.hostedsurvey.com
• Results not yet published, likely to show
  significant social supports books, web, and
  friends primary sources of information

6
GLBTQ/Q Survey 2006

• April 15 June 30, 2006
• Age 18 to 25
• Anonymous on-line survey
• Link to survey distributed by email through
  social networks and school-based groups
• 81 completed informed consent, 69 completed
  surveys.

7
Disclaimers

• Data is DESCRIPTIVE not representative
• Respondents predominantly female
• Large proportion of college students
• Uncertain geographic representation
• Results consistent with or building on work of YA
  and Jordan Bosse

8
Lifetime Substance Use
9
Substance Use Past 30 Days

• Alcohol No Use 22
• Cigarettes No Use 78
• Smokeless tobacco No Use 97
• Inhalants No Use 97
• Prescription Drugs (others) No Use 91
• Marijuana No Use 78
• Other drugs No Use 94

10
Alcohol Use Past 30 Days

• Frequency of use
• 24 1-2 days
• 22 3-5 days
• 18 6-9 days
• 12 10-19 days
• 3 20 or more days
• Quantity consumed
• 1-2 drinks 37
• 3-5 drinks 22
• 6-9 drinks 7.5

11
Alcohol Use Past 30 Days

• Number of times binged
• 0 times 66
• 1-2 times 22
• 3-5 times 9
• Primary sources of alcohol
• FRIENDS stores
• Ease of access
• somewhat 21
• very 67

12
Cigarette Use Past 30 Days

• 22 or 15 of 69 respondents smoke cigarettes
• About half of those smoke ½ a pack per day or
  less, ¼ smoke up to a pack a day, ¼ smoke more
  than 1 pack a day or dont smoke often enough to
  have an average per day
• Half have tried to quit.
• ¼ intend to quit again in next 30 days

13
Marijuana Past 30 Days

• 18 have RIDDEN in a car driven by someone who
  had used Marijuana or other drugs
• 11 had DRIVEN a car after using Marijuana or
  other drugs
• Frequency of use continues to be a concern
• 24 used on 1-2 days
• 22 used on 3-5 days
• 18 used on 6-9 days
• 12 used on 10-19 days
• 3 used on 20 days

14
Access to Care

• Health Insurance
• 15 without
• 58 through parents
• 11 through MaineCare
• 17 through their employer
• Have seen a doctor or other health care provider
  in the past 12 months 94

15
Opportunities in Health Care Environments

• 16 smokers only 7 were asked about quitting
  during most recent medical appt.
• 8 or 5 of 64 respondents were asked about
  decreasing substance use during appt.
• Preferred source of information
• 1 Medical or Mental Health Professionals
• Most reliable source of information
• 1 Medical or Mental Health Professionals

16
Mental Health

• 18 avoided activities outside of home on one or
  more of past 30 days, felt unsafe
• 7 have been threatened or injured with a weapon
  one or more times in past 12 mo.
• 27 have been forced to have sex
• 48 stopped doing some usual activities due to
  feeling so sad or hopeless every day for two
  weeks or more in a row in past yr.

17
Suicide

• SUICIDE DEPRESSION from the 2005 Maine YRBS
• Students reported fewer suicide-related behaviors
  in the past year.
• 13 of students have seriously considered
  attempting suicide vs. 25 in 1995.
• 10 of students made a plan about how they
  would commit suicide vs. 21 in 1997.
• 6 of students attempted suicide.
• 21 of students felt so sad or hopeless almost
  every day for two weeks or more in a row that
  they stopped doing some usual activities vs. 27
  in 2001.

18
Suicide

• GLBTQ/Q Survey
• 21 had seriously considered suicide
• 11 had a plan for suicide
• One person had attempted suicide (2-3 times)
• MA 2005 YRBS Results for GLBT Youth
• 25 had attempted suicide

19
Top 10

• Train staff to be comfortable discussing gender
  and sexual orientation issues with clients and
  patients.
• Publicize staff training and sensitivity to
  GLBTQ/Q concerns.
• Have signs that explain that all clients are to
  receive equal treatment regardless of sexual
  orientation or gender identity.
• Have signs for hate free zones or other no
  tolerance policies.
• Incorporate gender neutral bathroom access (e.g.
  dual use or single stall facilities).

20
Top 10

• Indicate on signs and forms that the provider
  staff will not leave information on answering
  machines that could identify anything about a
  persons sexual orientation or gender identity,
  or any other health-related information then
  follow this policy.
• Include a space for self-identified information
  about sexual orientation and gender identity on
  intake forms, surveys, and other places where
  they collect information.
• Have materials that reflect the experience of
  LGBTQ/Q youth in waiting rooms and other office
  spaces.
• Hire out GLBTQ/Q staff.
• Ask people what pronouns they prefer for
  themselves.

21
Contact Information

• Kate Perkins
• Medical Care Development, Inc.
• 11 Parkwood Drive
• Augusta, ME 04330
• [phone] x225
• Kperkins_at_mcd.org
• www.mcd.org

Ronni Katz Portland Public Health 389 Congress
Street Portland, ME 04101 (207)
756-8116 Rmk_at_portlandmaine.gov