Sexual Behaviors Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Other Sexual and Gender Diverse Medical Students: A National Study of Thai Medical Schools

Sorawit Wainipitapong; Awirut Oon-Arom; Teeravut Wiwattarangkul; Papan Vadhanavikkit; Pakawat Wiwattanaworaset; Maytinee Srifuengfung; Mayteewat Chiddaycha

doi:10.1080/19317611.2023.2214801

Sexual Behaviors Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Other Sexual and Gender Diverse Medical Students: A National Study of Thai Medical Schools

Int J Sex Health. 2023 Jun 1;35(3):352-362. doi: 10.1080/19317611.2023.2214801. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Sorawit Wainipitapong^{1

2}, Awirut Oon-Arom³, Teeravut Wiwattarangkul¹, Papan Vadhanavikkit⁴, Pakawat Wiwattanaworaset⁵, Maytinee Srifuengfung⁶, Mayteewat Chiddaycha¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
² Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
⁵ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

PMID: 38601729
PMCID: PMC10903562 (available on 2024-06-01)
DOI: 10.1080/19317611.2023.2214801

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to investigate sexual behaviors among gender diverse (LGBT and other sexual/gender minorities) and nongender-diverse medical students.

Methods: In 2021 academic year, medical students from five Thai medical schools completed questionnaires identifying demographic data, psychosexual factors, sexual experiences, and risks.

Results: Among 1,322 students, 32.1% were gender-diverse students who had lower age at first sexual intercourse and more experiences in solitary and partnered sexual activity.

Conclusions: Use of hookup applications was more frequent among gay and bisexual males. Risky sexual behaviors were significantly higher among bisexual females. Gender-diverse medical students showed higher involvement in sexual activities. Future studies should be addressing sexual health in Thai medical education.

Keywords: LGBT; gender diversity; medical education; medical student; sex; sexual activity.

Grants and funding

This study was financially supported by the Ratchadapiseksompotch Fund, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, grant no. RA65/040. Awirut Oon-arom, corresponding author, a Fogarty UCGHI GloCal Fellow was supported by the Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number D43TW009343 and the University of California Global Health Institute and partially supported by Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University.