1. Why would your doctor ask you, "Do you have sex with men, women, or both?"

a. This information is important to understand who you are as a person.

b. This information allows your doctor to plan health risk assessments and STD screening specifically for you.

c. Your doctor is making a moral judgment about you and may be critical if you tell the truth.

d. a and b

e. a and c

The correct answer is: a and b. You may never have been asked about your sexuality by a doctor, so it might feel a little strange. Current recommendations advise that primary care providers ask for sexual history from every patient. When the AIDS epidemic started in the 1980's, we were reminded that sexual behavior can be a matter of life and death. As far as option c, it is not appropriate for health care professionals to criticize or judge their patients.

2.Which substances are used more by LGBT people than the general population?

a. cigarettes

b. alcohol

c. heroin

d. amphetamines

e. a, b, and d

f. all of the above

The correct answer is e: cigarettes. alcohol, and amphetamines. Among the LGBT populations, amphetamine and cocaine use are most common among gay men. Heroin is not used by GLBT people any more often than in the general population.

3. A LGBT teenager is:

a) more likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual peers

d) less likely to attempt suicide than heterosexual peers

c) not likely to use the most lethal methods, such as shooting or hanging.

The correct answer is a. LGBT teenagers have an alarmingly high rate of attempting and of completing suicide. The exact number is unknown; some studies say one in four (25%) LGBT adolescents attempt suicide. Just as in the general population, LGBT males are more likely than females to use highly lethal methods.

4. Depression and anxiety affect LGBT people at a higher rate than the general population. Which of the following contribute to this problem?

a. prejudice and discrimination (homophobia and transphobia)

b. rejection by families and religious organizations.

c. use of alcohol and illicit drugs

d. all of the above

The correct answer is d, all of the above.

5. Gay and bisexual men and transwomen have high rates of sexually transmitted infections. The Centers for Disease Control recommends all of the following for these groups, EXCEPT:

a. RPR (blood test for syphilis) every 6 months or more often

b. Immunization for Hepatitis A if non-immune.

c. Immunization for Hepatitis B if non-immune.

d. Immunization for Hepatitis C if non-immune.

The correct answer is d. Unfortunately, so far no vaccine has been developed to prevent Hepatitis C. Consistent condom use is the best way to avoid hepatitis C.

6. People are much more likely to become infected with STD's during:

a. sex when intoxicated

b. sex with a partner they do not know (anonymous sex)

c. sex with a partner they met through the internet or a

meet-up computer program. (Another form of anonymous sex.)

d. all of the above.

The correct answer is d, all of the above.

7. Which three of the six LGBT subpopulations are at high risk for acquiring HIV and other STD's?

a. gay men

b. lesbians

c. bisexual men

d. bisexual women

e. transwomen (male to female transsexuals)

f. transmen (female to male transsexuals)

The correct answers are a, c, and e.

The second half of this quiz will appear in the next issue and will include side effects of estrogen and testosterone, reasons for lesbians' high risk of certain cancers, eating and body image disorders, and best ways to avoid STD's.