Jaclyn M White Hughto1,2, Katie B Biello3,4, Sari L Reisner5,6,7, Amaya Perez-Brumer8, Katherine J Heflin9, Matthew J Mimiaga10,11,12. 1. The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, 1340 Boylston Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02215. Jwhite@fenwayhealth.org. 2. Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health. Jwhite@fenwayhealth.org. 3. The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, 1340 Boylston Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02215. Kbiello@fenwayhealth.org. 4. Departments of Behavioral & Social Sciences and Epidemiology, Institute for Community Health Promotion, Brown University School of Public Health. Kbiello@fenwayhealth.org. 5. The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, 1340 Boylston Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02215. SReisner@fenwayhealth.org. 6. Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School. SReisner@fenwayhealth.org. 7. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. SReisner@fenwayhealth.org. 8. Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032. Agp2133@columbia.edu. 9. Center for Health Care Strategies, 200 American Metro Blvd., Hamilton, New Jersey 08619. Kheflin@chcs.org. 10. The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, 1340 Boylston Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02215. Mmimiaga@fenwayhealth.org. 11. Institute for Community Health Promotion, Brown University School of Public Health. Mmimiaga@fenwayhealth.org. 12. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Mmimiaga@fenwayhealth.org.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Differences in sexual health-related outcomes by sexual behavior and identity remain underinvestigated among bisexual female adolescents. METHODS: Data from girls (N = 875) who participated in the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey were analyzed. Weighted logistic regression models were fit to examine sexual and psychosocial health by lifetime sexual behavior (behaviorally bisexual vs behaviorally heterosexual) and sexual identity (bisexual vs heterosexual) adjusting for grade and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Overall, 10.5% of girls reported lifetime bisexual behavior and 8.1% reported a bisexual identity. Behavior and identity were discordant for bisexual young women as 53.2% of behaviorally bisexual students had a bisexual identity and 46.8% had a heterosexual identity. Bisexual identity and behavior were associated with unprotected intercourse at last sexual encounter, early sexual debut, 4 or more lifetime partners, history of forced/unwanted sex, sexually transmitted infection testing history, past-year depression, and past-month drug use (all ps < .05). CONCLUSION: Bisexuality, whether defined by identity or behavior, is associated with adverse sexual and psychosocial health outcomes in adolescent girls. Studies that explore wellness across the life span, and are designed to recognize developmental differences burgeoning in adolescence, may provide insights into the differential sexual risk outcomes observed among bisexual girls.
BACKGROUND: Differences in sexual health-related outcomes by sexual behavior and identity remain underinvestigated among bisexual female adolescents. METHODS: Data from girls (N = 875) who participated in the Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey were analyzed. Weighted logistic regression models were fit to examine sexual and psychosocial health by lifetime sexual behavior (behaviorally bisexual vs behaviorally heterosexual) and sexual identity (bisexual vs heterosexual) adjusting for grade and race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Overall, 10.5% of girls reported lifetime bisexual behavior and 8.1% reported a bisexual identity. Behavior and identity were discordant for bisexual young women as 53.2% of behaviorally bisexual students had a bisexual identity and 46.8% had a heterosexual identity. Bisexual identity and behavior were associated with unprotected intercourse at last sexual encounter, early sexual debut, 4 or more lifetime partners, history of forced/unwanted sex, sexually transmitted infection testing history, past-year depression, and past-month drug use (all ps < .05). CONCLUSION: Bisexuality, whether defined by identity or behavior, is associated with adverse sexual and psychosocial health outcomes in adolescent girls. Studies that explore wellness across the life span, and are designed to recognize developmental differences burgeoning in adolescence, may provide insights into the differential sexual risk outcomes observed among bisexual girls.
Authors: Michael P Marshal; Mark S Friedman; Ron Stall; Kevin M King; Jonathan Miles; Melanie A Gold; Oscar G Bukstein; Jennifer Q Morse Journal: Addiction Date: 2008-04 Impact factor: 6.526
Authors: Brian Dodge; Phillip W Schnarrs; Michael Reece; Gabriel Goncalves; Omar Martinez; Ryan Nix; David Malebranche; Barbara Van Der Pol; Maresa Murray; J Dennis Fortenberry Journal: Cult Health Sex Date: 2012-09-17
Authors: Susan Scheer; Ingrid Peterson; Kimberly Page-Shafer; Viva Delgado; Alice Gleghorn; Juan Ruiz; Fred Molitor; William McFarland; Jeffrey Klausner Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2002-07 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Maria Pyra; Kathleen Weber; Tracey E Wilson; Jennifer Cohen; Lynn Murchison; Lakshmi Goparaju; Mardge H Cohen Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2014-04-04 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Bethany G Everett; Blair Turner; Tonda L Hughes; Cindy B Veldhuis; Margaret Paschen-Wolff; Gregory Phillips Journal: LGBT Health Date: 2019-10 Impact factor: 4.151
Authors: Elon Gersh; Laura P Richardson; Tumaini R Coker; David J Inwards-Breland; Carolyn A McCarty Journal: J Gay Lesbian Ment Health Date: 2021-09-01