title: Communicating With School Nurses About Sexual Orientation and Sexual Health: Perspectives of Teen Young Men Who Have Sex With Men.
abstract: Black and Latino young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are at disproportionate risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV. This study informs school-centered strategies for connecting YMSM to health services by describing their willingness, perceived safety, and experiences in talking to school staff about sexual health. Cross-sectional data were collected from Black and Latino YMSM aged 13-19 through web-based questionnaires (N = 415) and interviews (N = 32). School nurses were the staff members youth most often reported willingness to talk to about HIV testing (37.8%), STD testing (37.1%), or condoms (37.3%), but least often reported as safe to talk to about attraction to other guys (11.4%). Interviews revealed youth reluctance to talk with school staff including nurses when uncertain of staff members' perceptions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) people or perceiving staff to lack knowledge of LGBTQ issues, communities, or resources. Nurses may need additional training to effectively reach Black and Latino YMSM.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Atlanta, GA, USA crasberry@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Catherine N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Rasberry
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Elana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.affiliation: ICF International, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lesesne
authors.affiliation: ICF International, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kroupa
authors.affiliation: ICF International, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Topete
authors.affiliation: ICF International, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Carver
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012573:School Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D012736:Sex Education / Q000379:methods*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: HIV; STD; adolescent; and transgender (LGBT); bisexual; communication; condoms; gay; lesbian; men who have sex with men; school health; school nurses