Transitional Age Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth: Issues of Diversity, Integrated Identities, and Mental Health.
Although most LGBTQ youth become healthy young adults, they often face considerable stress over the course of their lives because of bullying, victimization, and overt/covert discrimination. Families, educational and religious institutions, health care professionals, and communities help shape the experience of LGBTQ transitional age youth. LGBTQ youth have higher rates of depression, suicide, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, alcohol and drug use, and preventable sexually transmitted diseases. When best practice guidelines are followed and key stakeholders take action to support LGBTQ youth, health disparities begin to disappear. Much can be done to change the trajectory for LGBTQ youth through advocacy, education, culturally competent health care, and policy-making.
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216, USA. Electronic address: srodgers@umc.edu.
Scott M
SM
Rodgers
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D011287:Prejudice / Q000523:psychology*; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
Bisexual; Gay; Gender identity; Lesbian; Questioning; Sexual orientation; Transgender