The Center on Halsted continued its yearlong SpeakOUT series Sept. 22 with “Hip Hop on the Down Low,” a free performance and panel discussion featuring four openly queer hip-hop artists.
After an energetic spoken-word performance from emcee Sage Morgan-Hubbard, IMPACT’s very own Lou Bigelow took to the stage alongside local performers Charity Taitt, Emanuel Vinson and Tim’m West for two hours of live music and thought-provoking discussion. Subject matter from the night’s performances included everything from Port-au-Prince and civil rights (from the quick-witted Taitt) to pop culture and double standards (Vinson’s multimedia tracks). Homophobia and acceptance were pervasive themes.

Here’s a rap-quote from Lou:
“Human sexuality is like a ghost/if it’s not straight, it’s invisible to most.” Turning to the audience, he asked: “Why does it matter who’s in my bed? It’s your turn to think about what I just said.”

You can … Read More »

IMPACT Program researchers received the award for Best Senior Investigator Poster at the annual meeting of the International Academy of Sex Researchers (IASR).  Authors of the poster included Mustanski, Newcomb, Heinz, Birkett, and Ashbeck.  The poster was titled, “Sex Differences in Developmental Trajectories of Sexual Attractions Among LGBT Youth.”  The data for the poster came from Project Q2, a longitudinal study of 250 LGBT youth who have been followed over 2.5 years.  The poster reported similarities and differences based on birth sex and sexual orientation label (bisexual versus gay/lesbian) in sexual attractions across development.

Dr. Mustanski, director of the IMPACT Program, received the distinguished scientific contribution award from the American Psychological Association Division for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues.  The Division offers this award for distinguished theoretical or empirical contributions to lesbian, gay, or bisexual psychological issues. The winners of this award have made far-reaching and visionary contributions to the development of a science of LGBT psychology and have provided the science base for practice, education, and the development of public policy. Many of these award winners are pioneers who first asked affirmative research questions about the lives of LGBT people, their families, and their communities.

We are proud to announce that the IMPACT Program moved to Northwestern University and we are now resident partners with the Center on Halsted.  This move represents an important expansion of IMPACT’s ability to conduct cutting-edge research that will improve the health of the LGBT community.

The IMPACT Program is now based in the Department of Medical Social Sciences (MSS) in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University.  The mission of the IMPACT Program will continue to be to conduct translational research that improves the health of the LGBT community and to develop the clinical research capacity of the community. Being at Northwestern brings new opportunities and resources for us to expand this mission in exciting new directions.

IMPACT Program undergraduate research trainees Alan, Laurel, Elizabeth, and Caroline presented their research at the annual UIC undergraduate research forum.  Caroline presented qualitative data on youth self-reports of hormones for changing genders.  Elizabeth presented on mental health and HIV risk, while Alan presented on the effects of victimization on mental health.  Laurel, who trained in both the IMPACT Program and Dr. Mary Murphy’s lab presented some of her work with Dr. Murphy on gender roles and academic performance. Alan won third place in the social sciences.

Project TRACK is currently enrolling young men who have sex with men for a research study on sexual behavior and health. Help us understand issues affecting the health of young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.  You can earn up to $60 by participating in this gay friendly and confidential research study!

If you are a gay, bisexual, or a young man who engages in same-sex behavior and are between the ages of 16-20, take our brief eligibility questionnaire:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZTQ8R5N

If you are eligible, a researcher from the IMPACT Program will be in contact with you!

This research has been approved by the University of Illinois at Chicago Institutional Review Board, #2010-0750*

IMPACT team researchers Dr. Brian Mustanski, Michael Newcomb, Steve Du Bois, Steve Garcia, and our colleague Dr. Christian Grov published a new article describing current research on HIV among young ga/bisexual men and other young men who have sex with men.  The article reviews research on epidemiology, risk and protective factors, and existing interventions.

Through June, 2011 the publishers have agreed to offer this article free to everyone.

Mustanski, B. S., Newcomb, M. E., Du Bois, S. N., Garcia, S. C., & Grov, C. (2011). HIV in Young Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Review of Epidemiology, Risk and Protective Factors, and Interventions. Annual Review of Sex Research Special Issue.  Journal of Sex Research, 48, 218-253.

Abstract
Epidemiological studies have found that young men who have sex with men (YMSM) represent the majority of young people infected with HIV annually in … Read More »

The IMPACT Program is heading to San Francisco for the 4th annual conference on new media, youth, and sexual health.  Dr. Mustanski has attended this conference every year since is started, and it has just kept getting better. This amazing meeting brings together youth, researchers, funders, nonprofit organizations, and health departments all focused on sharing ideas about how to use technology to improve the sexual health of youth people.

This year Dr. Mustanski has helped to organize a pre-conference workshop that will tout the successes and tackle the issues of conducting mobile and digital research studies with youth around sexual health.  On April 1st he will present a workshop focused on successes creating interventions from the youth perspective.

On April 2nd, IMPACT staff member Lou Bigelow will present a field report in a session titled, “Sexuality, Gender & Feminism in the Age … Read More »

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On Thursday, February 10, 2011 the UCLA Interdisciplinary Relationship Science Program and the Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law & Public Policy are hosting a presentation by IMPACT Director Dr. Brian Mustanski.  This talk will describe results from a longitudinal study of LGBT youth.  Findings highlight the importance of family and romantic relationships in understanding health behaviors in this population.  The talk will also describe an NIMH-funded online HIV prevention study among young men who have sex with men (MSM). Dr. Mustanski will describe the intervention’s innovative approach to addressing romantic relationship influences on HIV risk behaviors and provide preliminary findings assessing the intervention.

The event is free and open to the public.  | Event Details |