International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

LGBTQ+ individuals often experience increased levels of health disparities across several dimensions of health and wellness. According to the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health needs of LGBTQ+ people may be different to those of the cisgender and heterosexual populations. Due to various social determinants, including discrimination, minority stress, and other key factors, LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to experience certain health conditions, have less access to healthcare services, and experience poorer treatment outcomes. Additionally, LGBTQ+ patients are more likely to remain silent about important health problems because they fear that disclosing their full health history may lead to additional levels of discrimination and stigma. For these reasons, it is worthwhile to take action to develop research that serves the LGBTQ+ community.

Our Special Issue aims to provide researchers with the opportunity to publish original research articles, meta-analyses, and review articles regarding the latest developments in the broader health-related aspects of LGBTQ+ people.

Dr. Piotr Karniej
Dr. Michał Czapla
Dr. Anthony Dissen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

AIDS
HIV
post-exposure management (PEP)
pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
health psychology of LGBTQ+ people
sexuality
stigmatisation
HIV testing
transgender
addictions
exclusion in access to health services
eating disorders
sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
management of medical services for LGBTQ+ people
health of LGBTQ+ people
mental health
sexual health

Published Papers (1 paper)

Research

11 pages, 903 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Very High Incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Treponema pallidum among Low-Risk MSM in an Outpatient Clinic in Wroclaw, Poland in 2019–2020

by Bartosz Szetela, Łukasz Łapiński and Katarzyna Giniewicz

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2582; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20032582 - 31 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1736

Abstract

Background: The rise in sexually transmitted infections and chemsex has led to syndemy with HIV, partly due to common routes of transmission and clustered transmissions. Despite this, barriers to STI care and PrEP still remain. We sought to determine whether MSM at low risk for HIV infection were also at low risk for other STIs. Methods: The study group was tested for HIV, HCV, and Treponema pallidum, as well as had urethral, rectal, and oropharyngeal smears performed for Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) six months apart. The control group was tested once to define the background incidence. Results: Treponema pallidum, CT, and NG prevalence was very high at both time points and was similar to the control group. CT was especially common in the control group (20.58%) and the study group at the rectal site at the second time point (9.37%). NG dominated the oropharyngeal site (15.87%), with urethral site sparing. NG infection was associated with an increased number of partners, not condom use (OR, 1.082 [95% CI; 1.009–1.171]). Risk behavior did not change between the time points. Treponema pallidum, CT, and NG incidence was exceptionally high (12.5/100PY, 25.39/100PY, 34.92/100PY, respectively; pooled 87.5/100PY) and was comparable to other studies of high-risk MSM. Conclusions: Despite a lower risk for HIV acquisition, the study group was at a very high risk for other STIs, and this risk remained high throughout the study. Patients and medical professionals should be aware of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydiosis transmission risks, and screening should be performed accordingly. Prophylactic programs need to be updated to specifically include lower-risk individuals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in LGBTQ+ People's Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Advances in LGBTQ+ People's Health

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (1 paper)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI