Brian Dodge

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• Feinstein, B. A., Ford, J. V., Lattanner, M. R., Bo, N., Tu, W., & Dodge, B. (2023). The Role of Partner Gender in Bisexual Men's Stigma-Related Experiences and Mental Health: Results From a Probability-Based Sample in the United States. Stigma and health, 8(2), 179-186.
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  Bisexual men are disproportionately affected by negative mental health outcomes compared to heterosexual and gay men. These disparities are related to the unique stressors that they experience, and emerging evidence suggests that their experiences of these stressors can be different depending on the gender of their partner. However, previous studies have largely focused on bisexual women and little is known about the role of partner gender in bisexual men's experiences and mental health. We examined the associations between relationship type and outness, stigma-related experiences, and mental health using data from Wave 1 of the National Study of Stigma and Sexual Health, a probability-based sample of 502 gay and bisexual men in the U.S. Analyses focused on the subset of 128 men who identified as bisexual (44.53% in relationships with women, 14.84% in relationships with men, 40.63% not in relationships). Bisexual men in relationships with men reported being more out than those in relationships with women and those who were not in relationships; furthermore, bisexual men in relationships with men reported more discrimination and family stress than those in relationships with women. Bisexual men who were not in relationships reported more anticipated and internalized stigma than those in relationships with men; additionally, bisexual men who were not in relationships reported more anticipated stigma and depression than those in relationships with women. Partner gender plays a role in bisexual men's stigma-related experiences and mental health, and efforts to improve bisexual men's health should attend to sexual orientation, relationship status, and partner gender.
• Ferrand, J., Walsh-Buhi, E., Dodge, B., Svetina, D., & Herbenick, D. (2023). Variations in Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Awareness and Healthcare Provider Interactions in a Nationally Representative Sample of American Men Aged 15-49 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study. AIDS and behavior, 27(9), 2932-2943.
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  Awareness of and discussions with a healthcare provider (HCP) around pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an effective HIV prevention method, are associated with PrEP uptake, yet few studies utilize representative samples or report on these outcomes using distinct behavioral risk subgroups. This cross-sectional study utilized responses given by men on the 2017-2019 National Survey of Family Growth, a nationally representative survey of Americans aged 15-49 years. Multiple logistic regression models were used to determine how respondents' sociodemographic characteristics and HIV risk behaviors were related to PrEP awareness and HCP discussions. PrEP awareness was low (29.40%) as was the proportion who reported ever discussing PrEP with an HCP (4.48%). Odds of being PrEP aware and discussing PrEP with an HCP varied significantly within sexual behavior subgroups based on sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics highlighting the differential risks within distinct behavioral subgroupings of men. Sexual behavior subgroupings should be considered when promoting PrEP awareness and discussions as HIV risk behaviors vary considerably and sexual identity alone may not sufficiently capture one's HIV risk.
• Mata, D., Korpak, A. K., Macaulay, T., Dodge, B., Mustanski, B., & Feinstein, B. A. (2023). Substance Use Experiences Among Bisexual, Pansexual, and Queer (Bi+) Male Youth: A Qualitative Study of Motivations, Consequences, and Decision Making. Archives of sexual behavior, 52(3), 1169-1181.
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  Sexual minority youth are at increased risk of substance use compared to their heterosexual peers, and bisexual youth appear to be at greatest risk. However, little is known about their motivations for and against using substances, how they make decisions, and what consequences they experience. We used qualitative data from a study of 54 cisgender and transgender male youth (ages 14-17 years) who reported attractions to more than one gender or regardless of gender (i.e., bisexual, pansexual, or queer; collectively referred to as bi+) to explore these aspects of substance use. Participants completed a survey and an interview, and interviews were thematically analyzed. Qualitative analyses revealed that participants described diverse motivations for using substances (e.g., to cope with stress, to experiment, to have fun) and for not using them (e.g., concern about consequences, not having access). The most common sources of stress were mental health problems, school, and family. They did not describe sexual orientation-related stress as a motivation for their use, but they acknowledged that it could influence others' use. Participants also described thinking about when, where, and with whom they were going to use prior to doing so (e.g., only using in safe places and with people who they trusted). Finally, they described a range of consequences they experienced (e.g., getting sick, getting in trouble), and a subset of transgender participants described experiencing dependence symptoms. These findings suggest that substance use prevention and harm reduction interventions for bi+ male youth should address diverse motivations for use, including general stressors, which are often overlooked compared to minority-specific stressors. Further, interventions should approach youth as capable of making decisions. Findings also highlight the particular need to address substance use among transgender youth.