The prevalence of victimization and its effect on mental well-being among lesbian and gay people.

Research on victimization among oppressed groups such as lesbian and gay people has provided limited insight into its impact on the lives of those who are frequently targeted. This is due in part to small sample sizes and the absence of significant variables known to influence mental well-being. This analysis examines the prevalence and effects of victimization on a large sample (N = 1067) of lesbians and gay men living in a southern state. Multiple regression is used to determine the psychological consequences of victimization as measured by depression. Additional factors thought to contribute, either positively or negatively, to the effect of victimization on mental well-being, i.e., social support, self-esteem, external stress, and internalized homophobia, are also included in the analysis. Results indicate that victimization has a significant positive effect on depression for both lesbians and gay men when controlling for other variables. Self-esteem was found to be the strongest predictor of depression for the entire sample. Social support was found to have a similar effect for lesbians and gay men with partner support and having no support being significant. Gender differences were found for measures of external stress, internalized homophobia, and age.

Drug and alcohol use among lesbian and gay people in a southern U.S. sample: epidemiological, comparative, and methodological findings from the Trilogy Project.

The Trilogy Project is a longitudinal study of lesbian and gay people living in and around two metropolitan areas in a southern state. The study was specifically designed to provide (1) epidemiological data on the lifetime, past year, and past month prevalence rates for the use of 6 illicit, 4 psychotherapeutic, and 2 licit drugs, and (2) comparative data to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). Self-report data were collected on 1067 respondents using multiple sampling strategies and a research design that yielded response rates averaging over 50%. Results indicated some age group differences in the prevalence of certain drugs by gay men compared to lesbians. When comparisons were made to the NHSDA, Trilogy Project respondents were found to have significantly higher prevalence rates for the past year use of marijuana, inhalants, and alcohol but not cocaine. While lesbian and gay people drink alcohol more frequently during the month than NHSDA respondents, few differences occurred between the two samples for heavy alcohol consumption. Research questions suggested by the data and theoretical directions for future research are discussed.

Estimation of radionuclide ingestion: the "PATHWAY" food-chain model.

This paper describes the structure of the dynamic food-chain model PATHWAY and its utility for estimating radionuclide ingestion after fallout deposition from nuclear testing in Nevada. Model input requirements are described and output examples are provided. The basic output of PATHWAY is the time-integrated radionuclide ingestion by humans per unit fallout deposition (Bq per Bq m-2). Output specific to sex, age, life-style (diet), location (agricultural practice), event (calendar date), and radionuclide may be generated. Uncertainties of model predictions, based on "Monte Carlo" simulations using parameter value distributions, are described. Results of a sensitivity analysis, based on a ranking of partial correlation coefficients, are reviewed to illustrate the relative importance of parameters and associated transport pathways. Output data for 131I and 137Cs in milk are compared with predictions from several well known food-chain models. Preliminary efforts to validate PATHWAY results with real data sets are described.

Uncertainty in predictions of fallout radionuclides in foods and of subsequent ingestion.

Uncertainty in predictions from the PATHWAY food-chain model was estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. Uncertainty estimates, measured by the geometric standard deviation (GSD), were obtained for median values of time-integrated concentrations of 131I, 136Cs, and 137Cs in foods and for the corresponding time-integrated intakes resulting from ingestion of all foods. The GSDs associated with a given food for the two short-lived radionuclides, 131I and 136Cs, were not significantly different, but they differed from the GSDs for the longer-lived radionuclide. The GSDs for integrated concentrations of radionuclides in milk varied with the time of year fallout was deposited, but uncertainty for nondairy products was relatively independent of the date of fallout deposition. The estimated GSDs were applied to other radionuclides of interest based on physical half-life and ranged from 1.7 to 2.7 for time-integrated intake across all foods for radionuclides with physical half-lives less than 30 d, from 1.8 to 2.3 for half-lives ranging from 30 to 500 d, and from 1.9 to 2.1 when half-lives were greater than 500 d.