Lesbian and Gay Youth [Paperback]

Caitlin C. Ryan (Author), Donna Futterman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0231111916 | ISBN-13: 978-0231111911 | Publication Date: August 15, 1998 | Edition: 1

This is the first hands-on guide for providing health and mental health care to lesbian and gay youth and young adults. Although it focuses on adolescents, the information is relevant for any age group. In addition to specific guidelines for care and for approaching such sensitive topics as sexual behavior, substance abuse, and suicide, the book includes a comprehensive review of the literature and the most up-to-date information for providers, researchers, educators, and general readers alike. This book also includes the first guidelines (clinical care protocols) on primary care, mental health care, HIV medical and psychosocial care for lesbian and gay youth, and HIV counseling and testing for adolescents. There is extensive discussion of the social and health effects of stigmatized identity in the context of adolescent development.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The authors of this essential new guide maintain that lesbian and gay adolescents "rarely receive health education and counseling in a way that is relevant to them." Health and emotional risks to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered youth are heightened by prejudice and the chance of antigay violence, as well as by the need for secrecy. In fact, the problems of disclosure may be the greatest impediment to appropriate health care for gay minors, who (often rightly) fear that their parents will be informed of their sexuality or their medical conditions. Health care providers have been working without clinical care guidelines for gay youth, let alone a single resource that brings together protocols for assessment, treatment, and psychosocial care. Named the 1998 Book of the Year in Psychiatric Nursing by the American Journal of Nursing, this guide has also been purchased for distribution by the Health Resources and Services Administration and should become the central work in the field. --Regina Marler

From Library Journal

These two books, along with Skil Hunter's Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youths and Adults: Knowledge for Human Services Practice (Sage, 1998), comprise a trio of recently released titles addressing issues of care and counseling for gay adolescents. All three approach the subject with a blend of the personal and the clinical. In Queer Kids, Owens teaches about, and advocates for, the concerns of gay teens. Observing the benign neglect of society at large in providing support and vital information for queer kids, Owens focuses on counselors, parents, and adolescents, discusses stereotypes and prejudices, and seeks to provide crucial information and viable solutions. His book serves as an excellent guide to gay community resources across the United States. Most importantly, it provides valuable techniques for care givers and family members involved with adolescents trying to define themselves emotionally and sexually. Ryan and Futterman's Lesbian and Gay Youth is a much slimmer volume but still provides copious amounts of information. The authors' mission is to provide a thorough, hands-on guide to materials pertaining to physical and mental health for gay adolescents and young adults. Comprehensive guidelines for care and counseling, a succinct review of pertinent research and information, and discussion of themes pertaining to healthcare concerns are valuable components. The compact single volume was designed to meet the needs of researchers, healthcare providers, and the general public, and it squarely meets its objective. Well written and documented, both books would be appropriate selections for public and academic libraries and should unquestionably be considered for high school counseling collections.?Michael A. Lutes, Univ. of Notre Dame Libs., IN
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press; 1 edition (August 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231111916
• ISBN-13: 978-0231111911
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #262,699 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading for any youth service provider!, July 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Lesbian and Gay Youth (Paperback)

This incredible book takes the reader on an easy to follow journey that starts with the basics necessary to the understanding of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered youth. A well organized summary of existing knowledge is combined with progressive new knowledge to offer up concrete information about assessing, intervening, and supporting this gravely underserved population of youth and their families.

In addition to the basics described above, the book introduces cutting-edge information about adolescent HIV counseling and testing. This state-of-the art publication is without a doubt a classic to be read by all professionals working with youth.