Gonorrhea can be urethral, pharyngeal (often asymptomatic), or anorectal (which can present with rectal pruritus, tenesmus, pain, and/or bleeding).Ĭhlamydial infections are often urethral and anorectal (oropharyngeal chlamydia is rare). Perform a thorough examination of the mouth, anus, and rectal area for signs of venereal lesions. These figures suggests that most adolescents who might be experiencing same-sex attractions are reluctant to label themselves as GLB. Fewer than 33% of subjects with predominantly homosexual fantasies, attractions, or behaviors actually identified themselves as homosexual or bisexual. Data revealed that the percentage of teenagers reporting primarily GLB attractions increased with age (6.4% when aged 18 y), and uncertainty of sexual orientation decreased with age (8.9% when aged 18 y). Researchers included 5 items: sexual fantasies, behaviors, attractions, behavioral intent, and labeling of sexual orientation. Using the Minnesota Adolescent Health Survey, they polled 34,706 middle and high-school students from diverse socioeconomic and cultural groups in Minnesota.
In 1990, Ramafedi et al conducted the Demography of Sexual Orientation in Adolescents study. Today, most studies regarding the prevalence of homosexuality involve adult subjects (5-10%), but these figures also appear to be consistent with the available data concerning adolescents. Diamond concluded that 5-6% males and 2-3% females considered themselves to be GLB. In 1993, Diamond and colleagues performed a review of studies conducted with various populations and concluded that the prevalence of predominant homosexual attraction was lower than Kinsey had predicted. Approximately 10% of those polled considered themselves to be predominantly homosexual. He concluded that by the time an individual is aged 20 years, nearly 28% of young men and 17% of young women had at least one homosexual experience. In the 1950s, Kinsey conducted the first modern sexuality studies. The practitioner's knowledge and sensitivity regarding sexuality issues strongly influences the patient's comfort level in seeking optimal health care in the future. Many healthcare professionals provide medical care to teenagers who are GLB far more often then they realize.
The first contact with a professional in the medical field for the teenager who is GLB is often the pediatrician, family practitioner, or internist. However, because of societal stigma or potential rejection,these adolescents may face various challenges during their adolescent years and are at greater risk for substance abuse, depression, suicide, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than their peers who are heterosexual. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ) teenagers are overwhelmingly similar to their non-LGBTQ peers.