Study Links Experiencing Homophobia, Discrimination To Cancer Risks
The research from the American Cancer Society was a first-of-its-kind study, and linked certain issues to higher cancer risks for LGBTQ+ individuals. Meanwhile, experts worry about state-level anti-LGBTQ laws impacting transgender people.
Fox News:
American Cancer Society Finds 'Homophobia' And 'Discrimination' Can 'Increase Cancer Risk' In LGBTQ+ People
A leading cancer research organization released a first-of-its-kind study outlining how LGBTQ+ individuals face an "elevated prevalence" of certain risk factors linked to the disease. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), there are certain "minority stress" factors associated with LGBTQ+ individuals, such as smoking, excess body weight, HIV and access to gender transition surgical procedures that exacerbate their vulnerability to developing cancer. (Joseph, 3/19)
The 19th:
Unfilled Prescriptions, Missed Checkups And Loneliness: Experts Worry About Health Consequences From States’ Anti-LGBTQ+ Moves
This year, states have tried to prevent transgender people from using public bathrooms and from being able to update identity documents like driver’s licenses. Legislators in multiple states are attempting to rewrite state code to define sex based on reproductive capacity, and to exclude gender identity from discrimination protections. (Rummler, 3/19)
In other news about HIV —
Los Angeles Times:
California Communities Are Banning Syringe Programs. State Fights Back
As Indiana officials struggled to contain an outbreak of HIV among people who injected drugs, then-Gov. Mike Pence reluctantly followed the urgings of public health officials and cleared the way for an overwhelmed county to hand out clean syringes. ... After it rolled out in 2015, the percentage of injection drug users there who said they shared needles dropped from 74% to 22%. Within a few years, the number of new HIV infections plummeted by 96% and new cases of hepatitis C fell by 76%. (Alpert Reyes, 3/19)
KFF Health News:
Watch: Many Americans Are Unaware Of HIV Prevention Medication
Some Americans mistakenly believe medication to prevent HIV transmission through sex is just for certain groups such as gay men, but anyone who’s at risk for contracting HIV through sex could benefit. (Gounder, 3/20)
