Ketki Madhav Ranade. "Understanding factors affecting health/mental health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth: A qualitative study."

ABSTRACT

This study is an exploration of factors affecting the health and mental health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth from an urban area. The study also focuses on health care providers’ perceptions of the health needs of this community as well as existing clinical practice. Data for the study currently are being collected at two sites, Mumbai and Pune cities (two metro cities in Maharashtra, India), and the data collection process will be completed by August 2007.

In-depth interviews are being carried out with LGB individuals to throw light on issues such as development of sexual identity, factors mediating this process, experience of stress, stigma and abuse, experience of coming out, and other factors affecting their health. Health is understood here as not merely presence or absence of illness but as a range of experiences including well-being, vulnerability, distress, being "at-risk," and so forth. A semi-structured interview schedule is used to gain understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, skills, and practices of the health care providers.

Preliminary analysis of interviews with LGB individuals are presented.

Focus issues include:

• Identity development—gender nonconformity in childhood, corrective behaviors, sexuality in school, sexual exploration/fantasy during childhood and adolescence, experiences of abuse, knowledge about same-sex, issues of isolation and alienation.
• Stressors and stigma—invisibility of same-sex relationships, process of coming out, pressures for marriage, lack of acceptance, ridicule or experiences of violence, same-sex relationships and their stressors, lack of support, health consequences, and suicide attempts.
• LGBs and spaces—here spaces may include physical spaces such as public spaces (local trains, public toilets, parks), media spaces, school, college, parental home or work as a space, and also "events/occasions" (festivals, weddings, and so forth) as spaces, and the LGB respondents’ perceptions of these as being LGB-friendly or hostile is studied.

Track 1—Expanding and Empowering the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Movement

Theme 1.3—Embracing Alternative Sexualities: Spaces, Choices, and Voices
Tuesday, 30 October 2007, 1:30–3:00 pm

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This page updated 9 October 2007

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