News in brief - Oct. 17, 2011

Stigma can increase stress for LGB people

Ongoing stigma and social inequality can increase stress and reduce well-being for lesbians, gays and bisexuals, even in the absence of major traumatic events such as hate violence, according to a study published online Aug. 13 in Sexuality Research and Social Policy.

Researchers interviewed 57 sexual minority men and women in New York who were 18 to 59 years old about the stressors associated with how they identify themselves (www.springerlink.com/content/q761v3380wjw1754). They found that black and Latino LGB participants in particular were likely to characterize homophobia, racism and sexism as a source of stress that led to missed life opportunities, such as a quality education.

The study authors encourage policymakers to consider ways to help reduce stress for this population caused by social exclusion.

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Aggressive management needed for complications of chronic kidney disease in children

Complications of chronic kidney disease, such as anemia and acidosis, occur earlier than experts once thought, says a study published in the September issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

Researchers examined data on 586 children age 1 to 16 who were participating in the Chronic Kidney Disease in Children study in the United States and Canada. They found that complications occur even at a glomerular filtration rate of 50 milliliters per minute in children with chronic kidney disease (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21841064). Many experts previously thought that complications did not usually happen until a child's kidney function was much worse than a GFR of 50.

The study authors say the findings suggest the need for earlier, more aggressive management of blood pressure, anemia and other problems associated with kidney disease.

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