DSU professor studying long term health impacts of bullying against gay men – 47abc – WMDT
DOVER, Del. – A Delaware State University professor is embarking on a brand new study, thanks to grants from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Charles Cange will use the $468,000 to take a closer look at how bullying can have long term health consequences for young gay men.
“This study is going to be kind of formative of a larger project called Rise Up. We’re really trying to build resilience-based strategies for young men who have sex with men in the public health community,” said Dr. Cange. “What we’re hoping to gain from the study is a better understanding of the long term impacts of bullying on this particular population, which is a vulnerable population.”
The first part of the study will center around gathering information from gay men through a survey. Respondents will be asked if they are experiencing psychological health issues like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and/or higher rates of sexually transmitted infections and diseases. “HIV is still around, still occurring, and it’s occurring highest among men who have sex with men since the epidemic started, unfortunately. So, we really need more interventions that are more efficacious of a larger effect,” said Dr. Cange.
Then, researchers will meet with some of those participants and work on intervention. “The idea is that individuals who have experienced homophobic bullying will have possible trauma-like symptoms later on. So, intervention is designed to work with individuals one on one with a therapist,” said Dr. Cange.
Dr. Cange says, with the study, he is hoping to fill what he calls a “gap” in scientific literature. “Previously, there’s been a lot of work done on stigma, which is an important topic as well, particularly for HIV prevention. But, this particular study is really going to hone in on bullying as a potential traumatic stressor,” he said. “Although people are aware of it, and there tends to be some awareness around it with regard to social media, unfortunately the long term public health consequences are not studied.”
Dr. Cange tells 47ABC the surveys and interventions will start soon. Researchers will work on each effort for about eight months. The results are expected to be published in a study in spring of 2023.