Our Weekly Wellness Roundup for Your Queer Health

Each week HuffPost Queer Voices, in a partnership with blogger Scout, LGBT HealthLink and researcher Susana Fajardo, brings you a round up of some of the biggest LGBT wellness stories from the past seven days. For more LGBT Wellness, visit our page dedicated to the topic here.

How Many People With A PrEP Prescription Actually Take It?

A new study at three clinical sites found that among MSM who were prescribed pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that prevents getting HIV, 18% of respondents never filled their prescription and only 57% were still using PrEP after six months. Not keeping in touch with the clinic, moving, and side-effects were the biggest reasons for stopping.

Orlando Shooting Rekindles Scrutiny of FDA’s Blood Donation Ban

As gay and bisexual men were routinely turned away from giving blood after the mass shooting in Orlando, questioning began anew of the federal government’s continued ban on blood donations from men who have had sex with another man in the past year.

LGBTQQTSIAA or SGM?

A systematic review found over 30 different terms describing LGBTQ people in health research papers, making it hard to find new research when relatively little is produced. In a related note: several different federal agencies are now using the term “sexual and gender minorities” or SGM for short, to cover the whole acronym umbrella.

How to Be a Good Ally to LGBTQ Youth 

Youth Today explains how to be a good ally to LGBTQ youth, particularly for those in youth services, in the wake of Orlando’s tragedy. Top takeaways? Make your organizational resources available for those who might be grieving; make a public statement; and attend pride.

Aftermath of Orlando Attack Highlights Challenges with Identifying “Family” 

The Washington Post had a thoughtful article this week about how the Orlando Mayor’s request for a waiver of health insurance privacy regulations was important for LGBT health. The mayor requested this waiver after the hospital head expressed concern about chosen families who came to the emergency room but, since they had no legal ties to the victims, couldn’t get information. The White House clarified medical providers have some flexibility to disclose limited information to same sex partners but this situation still highlights a problem.