Experiences of body image in the gender non-binary community: A qualitative analysis.

Body image concerns are prevalent within transgender communities - many transgender people engage in disordered eating to suppress or accentuate secondary sex characteristics and reduce gender dysphoria. However, this research has mostly been conducted with binary transgender people. Here, we examine how non-binary people experience and relate to their bodies. Semi-structured one-on-one interviews were conducted with 13 gender non-binary individuals living in Australia. Photo elicitation techniques were utilised, and the transcribed interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: Expansive Understandings of Body Image, Body Image can be Linked to Gender Dysphoria, Cultivating a Preferred Body can Lead to Gender Euphoria, Appreciating Diversity in Non-Binary Body Ideals, The Androgynous Body Ideal is not Universally Accepted, and Experiencing the Body as Functional rather than Aesthetic. The present findings highlight the diversity of experiences of body image for non-binary people. The non-binary concept of body image was found to be expansive, stressing various physical attributes involved in social gender recognition and physiological sources of gender dysphoria. Some participants valued gender-affirming medical intervention, others were accepting of their bodies as they are, attributing their body confidence to the process of affirming their non-binary gender.

Internalized Sexual Stigma and Mental Health Outcomes for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Asian Americans: The Moderating Role of Guilt and Shame.

The literature unequivocally demonstrates that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals experience disproportionate mental health and social wellbeing impacts. Here, we respond to recent calls for research in the field of sexual minority health to better understand why various overlapping and intersecting identities can further drive health disparities. In this paper, we focus on the specific intersections of ethnicity and sexuality for Asian LGB individuals and the role of internalized stigma in driving poorer mental health outcomes for this group. We recruited 148 LGB Asian participants residing in the United States (Mage = 22.82 years, SD = 4.88) to participate in our online cross-sectional survey in which we collected data on their internalized stigma, levels of guilt and shame about their sexuality, and measures of depression, anxiety, and distress. Contrary to our predictions, there were no bivariate relationships between internalized sexual stigma and any of the mental health outcomes. However, a parallel mediation analysis revealed that guilt, but not shame, mediates the relationship between internalized sexual stigma and all mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, and stress) for LGB Asian American individuals. This research highlights the important of exploring additional variables that may exacerbate of protect against poor mental health for individuals with multiple intersecting identities.

Management of Early Node-Positive Breast Cancer in Australia: A Multicentre Study.

To examine practice patterns for breast cancer patients with limited sentinel node (SN) disease in light of the ACOSOG Z0011 results. Retrospective analysis of patients with T1-2 breast cancer and positive sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) admitted between January 2009 and December 2012. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatments were recorded. Eight hundred positive SLNBs were identified. A total of 452 (56.5%) proceeded to completion axillary lymph node dissection (cALND). cALND rate decreased from 65.1% to 49.7% from 2009-2010 to 2011-2012. cALND was performed for micrometastasis or isolated tumor cells in 39.3% in 2009-2010 and 22.2% in 2011-2012, whereas for macrometastases the rates were 83.1% and 68.6%, respectively. cALND rates diminished for both Z0011-eligible and -ineligible patients. The ACOSOG Z0011 trial presentation and publication coincided with a reduction in cALND for breast cancer with limited nodal disease. There appears equipoise regarding management of macrometastatic SN disease.

Improving postoperative analgesia for transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap breast reconstruction; the use of a local anaesthetic infusion catheter.

SUMMARY: Postoperative pain relief can be delivered either directly to the operative site, or systemically. When effective analgesia can be provided locally, the side effects of systemic analgesia can be avoided, reducing the morbidity of the procedure. We examined the effects of delivering local anaesthetic to the rectus sheath via a multilumen infusion catheter following transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap surgery, and compared the outcomes with patients managed using patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Forty-six TRAM flap patients received either PCA, local anaesthetic infusion and PCA, or local anaesthetic infusion and supplemental opioid as needed, and the analgesic requirements and morbidity associated with the use of these analgesic medications were recorded. The use of local anaesthetic infusion significantly reduced both total opioid use (71.7% reduction) and nausea, as reflected in the reduction of antiemetic required (51.5% reduction). Fourteen patients were also successful managed with just the infusion catheter and supplementary analgesia, avoiding completely the use of PCA. A 1.5-day reduction in length of hospitalisation was also found. Local anaesthetic infusion delivery to the rectus sheath significantly reduces narcotic requirements, may eliminate the need for PCA, and has an associated significant decrease in the postoperative nausea and vomiting commonly seen in TRAM breast reconstructions.