Mental health of LGBTQ+ people during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Citation:

Christopher Dietzel, Bamidele Bello, Brittany O’Shea, Jessie Cullum & Matthew Numer (2023): Mental health of LGBTQ+ people during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review, Advances in Mental Health, DOI: 10.1080/18387357.2023.2248299

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyse available literature on the mental health of LGBTQ+ people during the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: For this scoping review, six electronic databases were searched in three broad topic areas (the COVID-19 pandemic,

LGBTQ+ people, mental health) in April 2022. The search yielded 4,285 studies, and after screening them, 61 studies were included

in the final review, which were thematically analysed.

Results: Results were organised according to four themes: comparative effects of the pandemic on LGBTQ+ and

heterosexual cisgender people’s mental health; mental health impacts; differences in the mental health among LGBTQ+ people;

and protective and risk factors. LGBTQ+ people’s mental health was disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, particularly

when compared to heterosexual and cisgender people. Some sub-populations of LGBTQ+ people were impacted more than

others, such as bisexual, transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse people. Depression, anxiety, and stress/distress were the

most salient mental health issues, though loneliness, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and COVID-related fears were also prevalent.

LGBTQ+ people used substances, social media, dating apps, and pornography to cope with the pandemic.

Discussion: Gaps in the literature and study limitations are

identified, and recommendations for policy, health services, and

future research are offered.

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Indigenous men’s pathways to ‘living the right kind of life and walking the right path’: Understanding impacts of systemic oppression and guidance for healing and (w)holistic sexual health.

Citation:

Rand, J., Melro, C., Biderman, M., McMillian, J., Miller, A., Lekas, S., Numer, M (2022). Indigenous men’s pathways to ‘living the right kind of life and walking the right path: Understanding impacts of systemic oppression and guidance for healing and (w)holistic sexual health. Culture, Health, and Sexuality. Open Access: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13691058.2022.2055149

Abstract:

Indigenous men around the world hold expertise over their own lives. Informed by this perspective, this study centres this experience to better understand what is needed to improve sexual health outcomes among a group of men with a history of incarceration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Indigenous men with such a history. Through thematic analysis the study identified two major themes: 1) the impacts of systemic oppression; 2) the value of guidance in walking the right path. Men identified colonial trauma and the associated mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wounds stemming from systemic oppression as continuing to impact their wellbeing. Men also described the systems of support necessary to help guide them on their journeys through incarceration, rehabilitation and building strong and nurturing relationships. Findings from the study provide important guidance from Indigenous men for future more holistic sexual health intervention programming.

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A mythical battle: 'Good foods versus 'bad' foods

Citation

Joy, P., Jackson, R., & Numer, M. (2018). A mythical battle: 'Good foods versus 'bad' foods. Journal of Critical Dietetics, 4(1). DOI: 10.1080/09581599908409217

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Embracing a New Day: Exploring the Connections of Culture, Masculinities, Bodies, and Health for Gay Men through Photovoice

Citation

Joy, P., Numer, M., Kirk, S., Aston, M. (2021). Embracing a New Day: Exploring the Connections of Culture, Masculinities, Bodies, and Health for Gay Men through Photovoice. Journal of Bodies, Sexualities and Masculinities

Abstract

The construction of masculinities is an important component of the bodies and lives of gay men. The role of gay culture on body standards, body dissatisfaction, and the health of gay men was explored using poststructuralism and queer theory within an arts-based framework. Nine gay men were recruited within the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Participants were asked to photograph their beliefs, values, and practices relating to their bodies and food. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, using the photographs as guides. Data were analyzed by critical discourse analysis and resulted in three overarching threads of discourse including: (1) Muscles: The Bigger the Better, (2) The Silence of Hegemonic Masculinity, and (3) Embracing a New Day. Participants believed that challenging hegemonic masculinity was a way to work through body image tension.

Link: https://www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/jbsm/2/2/jbsm020203.xml

Assemblages of Excess Pleasure and Connection: The sociosexual uses of virtual and chemical technologies among men who have sex with men

Citation

Numer, M., Hammond, C., Holmes, D. (2021). Assemblages of Excess Pleasure and Connection: The Sociosexual Uses of Virtual and Chemical Technologies Among GBMSM. Nursing Philosophy.

Abstract

Chemicals have penetrated everyday lives of men who have sex with men as never before, along with new online and mobile technologies used to seek pleasures and connections. Poststructuralist (including queer) explorations of these new intensities show how bodies exist in the form of (political) surfaces able to connect with other bodies and with other objects where they may find/create a function (e.g., reproduce or disrupt hegemonies). This federally funded netnographic study explored how a variety of chemicals such as recreational drugs, pharmaceuticals and steroids are contributing to the construction of gay, bisexual and other men having sex with men (GBMSM) communities and their interactions with idealized masculinities in the age of increasing technology. Five major thematic categories emerged from our analysis: (1) assembling bodies and technologies, (2) becoming orgiastic, (3) experiencing stigma, (4) becoming machinic and (5) negotiating practices. Our analysis explores how and why GBMSM pursue excesses of pleasure and connection through the assemblages they make with sexualized drug use, online platforms and other men.

Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nup.12370?casa_token=1djpweLw7KkAAAAA%3Ai3D3FAFaapkrG6IgyGFFUNsLPheNnvkUDbjkbZi4RioZ3yMVSFb1yYX6yqj-KGTH2H1vef-qZ_-77Q

Pathways for Sexual Health Promotion Among Indigenous Boys and Men: A Community Report

Citation

Gaspar, C. M., Rand, J., Biderman, M., Boussard, A., Bogner, E., Lekas, S., Miller, D., McMillian, J., & Numer, M. (2021). Pathways for Sexual Health Promotion Among Indigenous Boys and Men: A Community Report. Halifax, NS.

Executive Summary

The Pathways for Sexual Health Promotion among Indigenous Boys and Men was a research project designed to specifically understand Indigenous boys’ and men’s holistic sexual health in Canada, and more specifically in Atlantic Canada. It was co-developed by Dalhousie University, Healing Our Nation and Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre. The project was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health

Research (CIHR) through a Catalyst Grant and aimed to meet the following objectives:

• Review the academic and grey literature on the current state of holistic sexual health among Indigenous boys and men provincially and nationally

• Organize community consultations in partnership with community organizations to explore the topic of Indigenous boys’ and men’s holistic sexual health

• Gain insight into the perspectives, experiences and contributions of key informants and stakeholders

• Investigate the role of post-colonial masculinities in the production of Indigenous boys’ and men’s holistic sexual health

  A key message driving the project was the need to provide Indigenous boys

  and men spaces of healing and mentorship to inform sexual health programing. The

  specific findings from this project include:

• The review of the literature emphasized that there is a scarcity of research exploring the sexual health of Indigenous boys and men in Canada, particularly in the Atlantic Canada region.

• Community consultation demonstrated the need for safer spaces for Indigenous boys and men to be able to talk about sexual health to promote healthy relationships and positive sexual health practices through role modeling.

• The findings from the stakeholder interviews revealed three pathways for sexual health promotion: 1) developing healthy relationships and highlighting role models, 2) providing access to comprehensive sexual health information, and 3) fostering open communication among Indigenous boys and men.

• Emerging from the 10 interviews with Indigenous men were two key themes: 1) the systems of oppression that effected their journeys; and 2) the systems of support that have and will enable them to recover.

  The findings from this project informed the proposal for a larger CIHR Operating grant project, Indigenous Masculinities and Sexual Health: Exploring community- driven interventions among boys and men through land-based methodologies, in collaboration with Dalhousie University, Healing Our Nation and the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre. This Indigenous Masculinities and Sexual Health Project is now exploring holistic sexual health of Indigenous boys and men through Major Gatherings and Learning Lodges. These gatherings and lodges are being developed by Healing Our Nation and the Mi’kmaw Friendship Centre based on the findings from this catalyst project and the community-based sexual health findings are being explored by the Sexual Health and Gender Research Lab at Dalhousie University.

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Assembling Bodies and Technologies: A Nethnographic Account of Sexualized Drug Use Among Gay, Bisexual, and other Men Who Have Sex with Men

Citation

Holmes, D., Numer, M., Hammond, C., Joy, P., Sinno, J. (2021). Assembling Bodies and Technologies: A Nethnographic Account of Sexualized Drug Use Among Gay, Bisexual, and other Men Who Have Sex with Men. Gender, Technology and Development. DOI: 10.1080/09718524.2021.1940437 

Abstract

The identities and communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are undergoing reconfiguration through two technologies: the digital spaces of social networking and hookup apps, and the sexualized use of chemicals such as recreational and illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals, and steroids. These technologies are creating spaces for GBMSM to indulge in excesses and extremes of pleasure, generating what has been described as an online chemculture. We approached this topic from a poststructuralist queer perspective, attending to the ways in which the fluid assemblages between GBMSM bodies and technologies produce sexual relations that resist heteronormative and other oppressive social structures. Using discourse analysis, this mixed method study (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews) of 50 GBMSM explored how they talked about their sexualized uses of digital and chemical technologies. Data collection occurred in three Canadian cities (Halifax, Ottawa, and Vancouver). The results identify the technologies most frequently employed in the sexual encounters of GBMSM, as well as participants’ self-identified purposes for using these technologies and the effects they have on GBMSM identities and communities. This study suggests that there is some potential, though not without some tension, in GBMSM using digital and chemical technologies to realize queer desires.

https://doi.org/10.1080/09718524.2021.1940437

A poststructural discourse analysis of the attitudes, beliefs, and values of undergraduate Canadian university students regarding sexual orientation

Citation

Joy, P., Crawford, Z., Sinno, J., Walters, J., & Numer, M. (2021). A poststructural discourse analysis of the attitudes, beliefs, and values of undergraduate Canadian university students regarding sexual orientation. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality.  

Abstract

The socio-politico-cultural context of sexual orientation often influences the attitudes, beliefs, and values produced in a given society. This study employed a qualitative methodology to explore the current attitudes, beliefs, and values of Canadian undergraduate students about sexual orientation. Students in a large human sexuality course at a Canadian university completed open-ended questions on the educational platform Top Hat. The data were analyzed using discourse analysis and four threads of discourse emerged: 1) The Nature of Sexual Orientation, 2) Gender Norms and Bisexuality, 3) Shared Connections, and 4) Foundations of Friendships. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge relating to changing attitudes, beliefs, and values about sexual orientation of Canadian university students.

Link: https://www.utpjournals.press/eprint/YJIH3M8IAHRARPX9U96P/full

Pathways for Sexual Health Promotion Among Indigenous Boys and Men: Stakeholder Perspectives

Citation

Biderman, M., Doria, N., Sinno, J., Rand, J., Hackett, L., Miller, D., McMillan, L.J., Lekas, S. & Numer, M. (2021). Pathways for Sexual Health Promotion Among Indigenous Boys and Men: Stakeholder Perspectives. AlterNative. 1(10). DOI 10.1177/11771801211023207 

Abstract

The sexual health of Indigenous Peoples in Canada has been identified as an important community and public health concern; however, there is a lack of research on the sexual health needs of Indigenous boys and men. This article shares results from interviews conducted with six stakeholders to explore pathways for sexual health promotion and considers the impacts of colonialism and other socio-political contextual factors on Indigenous boys’ and men’s sexual health. The study employed thematic analysis, and the findings indicate the following three pathways for sexual health promotion of Indigenous boys and men: (1) developing healthy relationships and highlighting role models, (2) providing access to comprehensive sexual health information, and (3) fostering open communication among Indigenous boys and men. Sexual health promotion with Indigenous boys and men in Atlantic Canada should include addressing the impacts of colonization and their unique socio-cultural contexts.

This paper is open access. Read it here.

Sexualized Drug Use and Online Technologies: Examining the negotiations and practices of gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men

Citation

Joy, P., Hammond, C., Holmes, D., Sinno, J., Numer, M. (2021). Sexualized Drug Use and Online Technologies Examining the Negotiations and Practices of Gay, Bisexual, and Men Who Have Sex with Men. AWRY: Journal of Critical Psychology.

Abstract

Within the health literature for gay, bi, and trans men sexualized drug use is often positioned as only a sexual health risk. This research utilized netnography to examine the ways men use technologies to negotiate SDU and their sexual health. Participants were recruited from three Canadian cites to participate in semi-structured interviews. Fifty interviews were completed. Foucauldian discourse analysis was used to analyze data. Participants described negotiating practices, through the ethics and politics of sex, communicating pleasures, and reducing harm. Findings suggests that sexualized drug use is more than just a sexual health risk. Implications for service providers are explored.

Link: https://awryjcp.com/index.php/awry/article/view/38

Wired Sex Assemblages among Men who have Sex with Men: Sexualized Drug Use, Hook-Up Apps, and HIV Service Provision

Citation

Holmes, D., Numer, M., Hammond, C., Joy, P., Sinno, J., Patten, S., & LeBlanc, M. (2021) Wired Sex Assemblages among Men who have Sex with Men: Sexualized Drug Use, Hook-Up Apps, and HIV Service Provision. Journal of Homosexuality. 

Abstract

Sexualized drug use is a form of sexual practice that resists risk-based discourses (otherwise referred to as “radical sex practices”) and is reportedly common among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). With the growth of online technologies, the use of hookup apps has also increased. We refer to men’s use of drugs, apps, and sex form as “wired sex” that forms what post-structuralist theorists Deleuze and Guattari described as an assemblage. Perspectives of the health and social service providers who work directly with GBMSM has not been explored. This research project involved a critical discourse analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with service providers in Canada to understand their perspectives and interactions with wired sex assemblages. We identified several themes reflecting the social and political effects of wired sex assemblages and discuss the implications of these effects on services provision with GBMSM.

Optional or Obligatory? Exploring Undergraduate University Students’ Attitudes, Opinions, and Beliefs of Verbal Sexual Consent

Citation

Matchett, B., Numer, M. (2021). Optional or Obligatory? Exploring Undergraduate University Students’ Attitudes, Opinions, and Beliefs of Verbal Sexual Consent. Healthy Populations Journal. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15273/hpj.v1i2.10658.

Abstract:

Introduction: For the last 20 years, sexual assault on university campuses has occurred at epidemic levels. This may be caused by undergraduate students primarily using non-verbal cues to communicate sexual consent, despite high levels of miscommunication and misinterpretation. Explicit, verbalized consent is known to lead to fewer misinterpretations of consent; however, less is known about students’ beliefs around verbal consent. Objectives: To explore Canadianundergraduate students’ attitudes, opinions, and beliefs around verbal consent, and to investigate whether students believe verbal consent is always required during sexual encounters.

Methods: This study used a qualitative descriptive approach. Data was collected from 31 Canadian undergraduate students in a Human Sexuality course through an open-ended question embedded in an interactive course textbook. Students’ responses were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Many complexities exist in undergraduate students’ attitudes, opinions, and beliefs around verbal consent. Four major themes emerged from the data centring on familiarity, socio-cultural norms, reliance on non-verbal cues, and acknowledgement of the importance of verbal consent.

Conclusion: The majority of participants believed that verbal consent was not required in all sexual encounters. Partner familiarity was a significant factor in using verbal consent. Social norms such as verbal consent being viewed as awkward or embarrassing were key barriers to students’ use. Verbal consent was viewed as an ideal, while non-verbal consent was viewed as realistic

Link: https://ojs.library.dal.ca/hpj/article/view/10658/10005

Compassionate Bodies, Compassionate Practice: Navigating Body Image Tensions among Gay Men

Citation

Joy, P., Goldberg, L., Numer, M., Kirk, S., Aston, M., & Rehman, L. (2021). Compassionate Bodies, Compassionate Practice: Navigating Body Image Tensions among Gay Men. Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research. 

Abstract

Our purpose in writing this Perspective in Practice is to create awareness about the role of compassion within dietetic practice, particularly the role of compassion for body image tensions. Nine self-identifying gay men were recruited to a photovoice research study that explored their beliefs, values, and practices relating to food and their bodies. Compassion was found as one way to navigate body images tensions. It is not the intent of this article to review all aspects of this research study but to use it as an example to illustrate compassion in dietetics. We suggest that our findings reveal the strength of using compassionate practice within the dietetic profession. In doing so, we call upon dietitians to incorporate compassion into their clinical and client care practices to foster health and healing for all communities, especially among those who struggle with body image tensions.

Link: https://dcjournal.ca/doi/abs/10.3148/cjdpr-2021-012

Dancing in a culture of disordered eating: A feminist poststructural analysis of body image among young girls in the world of dance

Citation

Doria, N., & Numer, M. (Accepted). Dancing in a culture of disordered eating: A feminist poststructural analysis of body image among young girls in the world of dance. PLOS ONE.

Picture perfect? Gazing into girls’ health, physical activity, and nutrition through photovoice.

Citation

Spencer, R., Numer, M., Rehman, L., & Kirk, S.F.L. (2021). Picture perfect? Gazing into girls’ health, physical activity, and nutrition through photovoice. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Health and Well-being.16(1). DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2021.1874771

Abstract

Background: Women face contradictions regarding their health: Pressure to be feminine, but also athletic; Criticism for being too sporty or muscular, but equally so for being perceived as lazy or overweight. These complexities are perpetuated through media and discourse.

Purpose: Using a feminist post-structural approach and photovoice, this study explored health, physical activity, and nutrition in adolescent girls and young women.

Methods: Photovoice enables reflection, promotes dialogue, and sparks change. The process involved conducting a workshop, collecting photos, and participatory analysis sessions, which engaged the participants (n = 7, ages 13–26) in photo selection, contextualization, and codifying.

Results: This resulted in three themes: First, (Breaking) Stereotypes, in which participants identified gender norms, conflicts, and contradictions; Second, Emotional Safety, or the contexts in which girls and young women feel confident and comfortable; Finally, Being Outside in Nature emerged as significant. Each theme is supported by quotations and photographs. This work suggests being outside in nature provides important context for girls and young women to feel emotionally safe, such that they may engage in the complex navigation of competing discourses surrounding health.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2021.1874771

Attitudes and Practices of Nova Scotian Physicians for the Implementation of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.

Citation

Sinno, J., Cochkanoff, N., Doria, N., Numer, M., Neyeldi, H., & Tan, D. (2021). Attitudes and Practices of Nova Scotian Physicians for the Implementation of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. HIV/AIDS - Research and Palliative Care.13(1). DOI: 10.2147/HIV.S287201

Abstract

Introduction: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention tool that requires the ongoing support of physicians to be accessible. Recently, Nova Scotia experienced a 100% increase in HIV diagnoses. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between physicians’ support of PrEP, knowledge of PrEP, and PrEP prescribing history using the information-motivation-behavioral (IMB) skills model.

Methods: An online survey was distributed to physicians in Nova Scotia, Canada, and eighty physicians participated. Two exploratory factor analyses were conducted with items from the Support of PrEP scale and Knowledge of PrEP scale. A mediation analysis was conducted to assess if knowledge of PrEP mediated the relationship between support of PrEP and whether physicians have prescribed PrEP in the past.

Results: On average, physicians reported strong support for PrEP, and as support for PrEP increased so did knowledge of PrEP. Further, physicians who had prescribed PrEP demonstrated strong knowledge of PrEP and physicians who had not prescribed PrEP reported feeling neutral. The 95% bootstrap confidence interval indirect effect of Support for PrEP on prescription history did not include zero (B = 1.59, 95% BsCI [0.83, 3.57]) demonstrating that the effect of support for PrEP is mediated by knowledge of PrEP. The most commonly identified barrier to prescribing PrEP was the lack of drug coverage among patients.

Conclusion: The results of the mediation analysis support the IMB skills model regarding support for PrEP, Knowledge of PrEP, and having prescribed PrEP in the past. Our findings suggest that to improve PrEP uptake in Nova Scotia, educational interventions for physicians and universal coverage of the drug would be necessary.

Keywords: HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, health care providers, attitudes, knowledge, barriers, accessibility, health care access, information-motivation-behavior skills model

This paper is open access. Read it here.

Women’s Experiences of Safety Apps for Sexualized Violence: A Narrative Scoping Review.

Citation

Doria, N., Ausman, C., Wilson, S., Consalvo, A., Sinno, J., & Numer, M. (2020) Women’s Experiences of Safety Apps for Sexualized Violence: A Narrative Scoping Review. BMC Public Health. (Open Access)

Abstract

Background

Sexualized violence against women is a significant human rights problem worldwide. Safety apps have the capacity to provide women with resources to prevent or respond to experiences of sexualized violence. The aim of the following study was to review the scope of the literature on women’s experiences of safety apps related to sexualized violence and identify if there is a current gap in this literature.

Methods

This scoping review employed a systematic methodology guided by the Arksey and O’Malley framework. The search for this scoping review was conducted in January 2020 and four electronic databases were searched: Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus. Reference lists of systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and literature reviews that were found through the search of databases were also checked to ensure all relevant studies had been screened. Last, the table of contents for the last five years (2015–2020) were hand searched in four key journals (Journal of Technology in Human Services, Violence Against Women, BMC Public Health, and Health Promotion International) to identify any articles that may have been missed in the database search. Covidence was used to complete the screening. All data that met inclusion criteria was charted, extracted and synthesized.

Results

Across the four databases searched, a total of 389 studies were identified; 127 duplicates were removed, resulting in 262 studies screened. In total, 6 studies were included from the search of databases and 1 study was included from hand-searching, for a total of 7 included studies. Thematic analysis identified the following themes in the literature, which are summarized narratively: (1) security; (2) accessibility; and (3) knowledge. Recommendations and barriers found in relation to each theme are also presented.

Conclusions

This review confirms that the qualitative literature on women’s experiences of sexualized violence safety apps is scarce and exposes that a gap in the literature on this topic. The gaps in the literature were identified and implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.

This paper is open access. Read it here.

Reflections in comics: The views of queer artists in producing body imagine comics and how their work can improve health.

Citation

Joy, P., Gauvin, S., Aston, M. & Numer, M. (2020). Reflections in comics: The views of queer artists in producing body imagine comics and how their work can improve health. Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics. DOI: 10.1080/21504857.2020.1806891.

Abstract

Comics are an innovative way to translate health knowledge and research to service providers and communities. A theoretical framework intertwining poststructuralism and queer theory was used to explore the experiences of queer artists in the creation and production of body image comic anthology entitled Rainbow Reflections: Body Image Comics for Queer Men. The aim was to examine the beliefs of the artists about the potentiality of comics to address body image concerns for queer men. Body image concerns may create negative health experiences, isolation, loneliness, and sexual intimacy concerns. Nineteen self-identifying queer artists participated in the study. Discourse analysis revealed five threads of discourse that bring understanding on how comics can improve body image, and the health and well-being of both the artists through the act of creation and the reader through the act of consumption. Theses threads of discourse include: 1) Creating a unique language, 2) Revealing and healing themselves, 3) Exploring cultural influences, 4) Expanding spaces for queer men and their bodies, and 5) Connecting men. The findings reveal that comics can create knowledge and stimulate discussions about body image and has the potential to positively influence the health of queer men.

https://doi.org/10.1080/21504857.2020.1806891

Interactive e-texts and university student learning experiences: A scoping review.

Citations

Spencer, R., Comeau, E., Matchett, B., Biderman, M., Joy, P., Doria, N., & Numer, M. (2020). Interactive e-texts and university student learning experiences: A scoping review. Canadian Journal of Education/Revue Canadienne De l’éducation, 43(1), 258-287. (Open Access)

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to explore the scope of available evidence regarding the use of interactive e-texts and their relationship to student learning experiences in post-secondary education. Following the framework of Arksey and O’Malley, this scoping review identified and reported on 33 articles. Study characteristics are presented alongside four themes that were found across the included articles: (1) the effect of interactive e-texts on student learning experiences; (2) the relationship between interactive e-texts and academic performance; (3) factors influencing student adoption and experience of interactive e-texts; and (4) roles, responsibilities, and recommendations. While the adoption of interactive e-texts is becoming increasingly common in post-secondary education, their effect on student learning experiences remains complex. This review emphasizes the importance of user-friendliness, affordability, accessibility, portability, and the role of educators. Using interactive e-texts shows promise, though future research should explore how barriers might be minimized and benefits might be maximized to have the strongest impact on student learning experiences.

This paper is open access. Read it here.

A rapid review of Indigenous boys’ and men’s sexual health.

Citation

Hackett, L., Biderman, M., Doria, N., Courville, J., Bogner, E., Miller, A.D., Spencer, R., & Numer, M. (2020). A rapid review of Indigenous boys’ and men’s sexual health. Culture, Health and Sexuality. DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2020.1722856

Abstract

Indigenous boys and men in Canada face adverse social and structural circumstances that affect their ability to achieve and maintain sexual health. Research about Indigenous sexual health, however, is largely limited to matters relating to women and statistics on sexually transmitted infections. A rapid review of research was conducted to determine what is currently known about Indigenous boys’ and men’s sexual health in Canada. Given the prevalence of research documenting quantitative disparities, the current review included qualitative research only. Thirteen included studies explored a wide range of topics relating to sexual health and an overarching intersection between social conditions and individual health outcomes was observed. The results of this review reveal significant gaps in the literature relating to the holistic sexual health of Indigenous boys and men and highlight important domains of sexual health to consider in future research. Findings suggest that sexual health programmes that promote traditional Indigenous knowledge and intergenerational relationships may be effective for promoting sexual health among Indigenous boys and men. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2020.1722856