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Health Policy

Hepatitis A & B

Learn more about Hepatitis A & B from our page here.

The Fenway Institute conducts policy research on issues affecting LGBTQIA+ health, HIV policy, hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, and other issues. We also address the social determinants of health, which the World Health Organization defines as “the circumstances in which people are born, grow up, live, work, and age, as well as the systems put in place to deal with illness.”

We conduct research on issues affecting LGBTQIA+ youth and LGBTQIA+ elders, and on policies affecting LGBTQIA+ people involved with the corrections system. Health policy research is disseminated to policy makers, health care and service providers, advocates, researchers and others through a variety of means, including:

2020    Congressional briefing on HIV and aging. World AIDS Day (December 1). Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders HIV and Aging Policy Action Coalition, Congressional HIV Caucus, Congressional LGBTQ+ Caucus. Panelist.

2020    Canadian Consulate, Quebec Office in Boston, MassEquality World AIDS Day panel discussion. “Marching Together Towards Equality : The Other Epidemic: Ending HIV Stigma & Transmission.” Panelist.

2020    American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo (virtual). Wolfe HL, Biello KB, Reisner SL, Mimiaga M, Cahill S, Hughto JMW. “Transgender-related discrimination is associated with substance use and treatment history in a multi-state sample of transgender adults.” Oral presentation; Levengood TW, Yoon G, Davoust M, Ogden S, Marshall B, Cahill S, Bazzi A. “Safe Injection Facilities: What is the evidence?”

International AIDS Conference 2020. T. Wang, S. Cahill, H. Fontenot, S. Geffen, K. Mayer, M. Johns, R. Dunville. “Adolescent MSM’s Experiences and Perspectives of Sexual Health and HIV Prevention Access: Findings from Online and In-Person Focus Groups with Youth from across the United States.” Poster Presentation. 2020.

Massachusetts Public Health Commission Equity Task Force. “LGBT people and COVID-19: An urgent health equity concern.” 2020.

MassEquality, Black and Pink panel discussion, “From ACT-UP to COVID-19.” 2020.

Wellington Management. “LGBT people and COVID-19: An urgent health equity concern.” Presentation to LGBT Employee Resource Group. 2020.

American Heart Association. “LGBT people and COVID-19: An urgent health equity concern.” Presentation to Hearts of Pride, LGBT Employee Resource Group. 2020.

Boston University Diversity & Inclusion panel discussion, “COVID-19 and the LGBTQIA+ experience.” Panelist. 2020.

Global Health in a Changing World: People, Planet, & Technology. Northeastern University. “Trump Administration policies undermine LGBT health.” Presenter. 2020.

National Coalition of STD Directors, STD Engage, Washington, DC. Cahill S. “LGBT civil rights rollback: Implications for public health.” Plenary session with Hector Vargas, Dr. Deborah Dunn, Josh Ferrer. 2019.

American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Philadelphia, PA. Lopez L, Cahill S, Perkins B, McKinney M. “Development of a community-engagement regional equity consortium to address cardiovascular disease disparities in diverse communities: The Northeast Health Equity Consortium.” 2019.

American Public Health Association, Philadelphia, PA. White Hughto J, Cahill S, McMahon J, Santostefano C, Pletta D, Mimiaga M, Reisner S. “Negative transgender-related media messages are associated with adverse mental health outcomes in an online sample of transgender adults.” Part of workshop “Transgender and gender expansive people’s health 2: Discrimination, stigma, health.” White Hughto J, Reisner S, Cahill S, Santostefano C, McMahon J, Pletta D, Mimiaga M. “Understanding facilitators and barriers to PrEP use among PrEP naïve and PrEP experienced transgender adults.” Part of roundtable, “HIV in sexual and gender minority populations.” 2019.

Open Health 5th Annual Conference, Baton Rouge, LA. “Legal rights and policy issues affecting LGBTQ patients.” Workshop presentation and panel. 2019.

United States Conference on AIDS, Washington DC. “Ending the Epidemic: The Role of HRSA Programs and Funding. The Health Center Perspective.” Workshop presentation. 2019.

2019 WOCNext WOCN Society Annual Conference. “Health Disparities in the LGBTQ Community.” Wang, T. Lecture. Nashville, TN. 2019.

Northeastern University School of Nursing. School Health Academy. Summer Academy 2019: Rekindling the Joy in School Nursing Practice. Hyannis, MA. “Addressing and reducing health disparities affecting LGBTQ youth.” Workshop presentation. 2019.

SPHERE Long-Term Survivor Awareness Day conference, The Boston Living Center. “Making sense of Trump’s HIV/AIDS policies.” Presenter. 2019.

National LGBTQ Health Conference. Emory University, Atlanta. Washington R, Cahill S. “Do e-cigarettes represent a harm reduction approach for the LGBT community? How do we reduce disparities in use?” Concurrent session—substance use. Cahill S, Fontenot HB, Wang T, Geffen SR, Conron K, Heim Viox M, Fordyce E, Stern M, Avripas S, Michaels S, Johns M, Dunville R. “Sexual health and well-being: Key findings from national online focus groups with transgender adolescents, ages 13-24.” Poster. Cahill S. Concurrent session—cancer. Chair. 2019.

2019 LGBT Health Workforce Conference. “LGBTQ Policy in the Trump Era: Setbacks, Progress, and Areas for Action.” Wang, T. Key Note Plenary. New York, NY.

Harvard Health Equity and Leadership Conference. “Public Health, Private Life: How to Collect and Utilize Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data.” Wang, T. Workshop. Boston, MA.

Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, HIV Update. Boston. Cahill S. “HIV Policy: Clinical Implications.” Guest faculty. 2019.

National Association of Community Health Centers, Policy and Issues Forum. “Policy issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults.” Education session. With Lisa Krinsky, LGBT Aging Project Director. Washington, DC. 2019.

Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine, Annual Meeting. Fontenot HB, Geffen S, Wang T, Heim Viox M, Fordyce E, Stern M, Harper C, Dunvville R, Johns M, Avripas S, Michaels S, Cahill S. “Adolescent health provider and sexual and gender minority youth’s perceived barriers and facilitators to comprehensive HIV preventative services.” Poster session. Washington, DC. 2019.

Massachusetts General Hospital 7th Annual Public and Community Psychiatry Symposium: Health Equity for Transgender and Non-binary Communities. Massaquoi M, Stango J, Cahill S, Marc LG, Keuroghlian AS, “The national implementation and dissemination of the evidence-informed interventions for transgender women living with HIV.” Marc LS, Massaquoi M, Stango J, Cahill S, Keuroghlian AS, “Development of a scale to assess staff readiness to serve transgender women.” Poster sessions. 2019.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019 National HIV Prevention Conference. Cahill, S., Fontenot, H., Fordyce, E., Heim Viox, M., Michaels, S., Stern, M., Wang, T., Harper, C., Johns, M., Dunville, R. “Using Social Media to Recruit Sexual and Gender Minority Youth to Web Surveys and Focus Groups on HIV Prevention.” Workshop panel. Atlanta, GA. 2019.

Wang, T. “LGBT Cultural Competency in the Trump Era.” Tufts Dental School. Guest Lecture. Boston, MA. 2019.

Salem State University, LGBT Aging Project, North Shore Elder Services, AARP Massachusetts, LGBT elders in an ever changing world conference. “Federal aging policy under Trump-Pence and the 116th Congress.” Workshop, with Aaron Tax, SAGE. 2019.

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Conference. “National implementation of evidence-informed interventions for people living with HIV across 26 sites.” Workshop panelist. Oxon Hill, Maryland. 2018.

Gerontological Society of America. Boston. Pre-conference workshop: Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study. Panel – Gaps in Research. Panelist. Also presented at Fenway Institute site visit for 20 GSA conference attendees. 2018.

GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality. Las Vegas. “E-cigarettes and LGBT people: Harm reduction or threat of worse disparities in cancer and cardiovascular health?” Workshop with Regina Washington, HealthLink. “Strategies for improving HIV/STI prevention for sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth: Results from discussions with SGM youth and youth-serving professionals.” Geffen S, Cahill S, Fontenot H, Wang T, Conron K, Dunville R, Harper C, Johns M, Michaels S, Avripas S, Mayer K. Poster. 2018.

Harvard Chan School of Public Health, Boston. “Public health wins in Ireland: Reflections on same-sex marriage and abortion rights.” Presentation and panel discussion with Irvienne Goldson, Boston ABCD. 2018.

U.S. Conference on AIDS. Orlando, FL. “National implementation of interventions for transgender women living with HIV.” Cahill S, Keuroghlian A, Massaquoi M, Marc L, Northrup E. Workshop. “Federal HIV and aging policy under Trump-Pence and the Republican Congress.” Workshop with Aaron Tax, SAGE. 2018.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention STD Prevention Conference, Washington DC. “Adult stakeholder guidance for improved HIV and other STD prevention and screening with gay, bisexual and transgender youth.” Cahill S, Geffen S, Fontenot H, Wang T, Conron K, Dunville R, Harper C, Johns M, Michaels S, Bauroth S. Poster. 2018.

International AIDS Conference. Amsterdam, Netherlands. “Advocacy for gender affirmation care in the United States: Learning from the injectable estrogen shortage and its implications for HIV.” Geffen S, Horn T, Smith KJ, Cahill S. Poster. 2018.

Mathematica Policy Research, Cambridge, MA and via Skype to national network of offices. “Federal policy, LGBT health disparities, and barriers to accessing care.” 2018.

Massachusetts Getting to Zero Coalition, AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Fenway Health, Harvard University Center for AIDS Research, “Looking ahead: The collection of transgender data and what to do with it.” Panelist. Cambridge, MA. 2018.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. Aging with Dignity Conference. “Supporting resiliency and reducing substance use among LGBT older adults.” Keynote address. Worcester, MA. 2018.

The Boston Foundation, Boston Indicators Project. “Equality and equity: Advancing the LGBT community in Massachusetts.” Presentation at community report release event on report copublished by The Fenway Institute. Boston, MA. 2018.

Radiant Health Centers, “LGBTQ Community Health: Resolving Disparities, Removing Barriers.” Costa Mesa, California. Headliner on panel. 2018.

Yale Law School, Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy. “Challenges in trans health: Legal framings, advocacy, and barriers to care.” Panelist, presented on “Public policy, discrimination, and transgender health.” New Haven, CT. 2018,

Salem State University, LGBT Aging Project, North Shore Elder Services, AARP Massachusetts, LGBT elders in an ever changing world conference. “Research and policy change to improve health care and elder services for LGBT older adults.” Keynote. “Federal aging policy under Trump-Pence and the Republican Congress.” Workshop. 2018.

Rand Corporation, Boston. “Federal policy, LGBT health disparities, and barriers to accessing care.” 2018.

National LGBT Aging Roundtable, SAGE. “Recent advances and retrenchment in federal policy affecting LGBT elders.” 2018.

Harvard Medical School. General Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Health Services Research Fellowships Serving the Underserved Conference. “Promoting the well-being of sexual and gender minorities.” Advocacy/Policy Panelist. 2018.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Atlanta. “Developing tools to engage adolescent MSM and transgender youth.” Lunch and Learn Presentation. 2017.

Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston. World AIDS Day lecture. “Update on federal policies impacting HIV/AIDS prevention and care.” 2017.

Public Responsibility in Medical Research 2017 Advancing Ethical Research Conference. Cahill, S., Guidry, J. “Situational vulnerability: Considerations and safeguards when exploring gender identity, social/economic challenges, and at-risk behavior.” Cahill, S., Fisher C.B., Hidalgo, M.A., panelists; Sugarman, J., moderator. “Social, behavioral, and biomedical transgender research: Needs and challenges.” Plenary session. San Antonio. 2017.

American Public Health Association. Geffen, S., Cahill, S., Fontenot, H., Conron, K., Wang, T., Dunville., R., Harper, C., Johns, M., Michaels, S., Bauroth, S. “Focus groups with adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM) and transgender youth to inform the development of better HIV prevention tools and strategies.” Atlanta. 2017.

Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Spark Leadership Conference. “Policy research and community engagement to improve the ability of LGBT people to access affirming, competent care.” Boston. 2017.

Massachusetts Councils on Aging Conference. “A Commission on a mission: Identifying and responding to the needs of LGBT elders.” With Kevin Cranston, Director, Bureau of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Danvers, MA. 2017.

Harvard Law School, “(Pre)serving the community: Striving for equality in 2017,” Lambda Legal Advocacy Conference. “LGBT elders and their care.” 2017.

Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. “Improving quality of care and reducing disparities affecting LGBT people.” 2017.

GLMA (Gay and Lesbian Medical Association). Wang, T., Cahill, S. “Religious refusal laws threaten LGBT health care access.” (Plenary address.) Geffen, S., Conron, K., Fontenot, H., Wang, T., Dunville, R., Harper, C., Johns, M., Michaels, S., Bauroth, S., Cahill, S. “Developing HIV Prevention Tools for Adolescent MSM (AMSM) and Transgender Youth.” Grasso, C., Cahill S., “Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data in Electronic Health Records to improve quality of care for LGBT patients.” Philadelphia. 2017.

National Sexual Health Conference. “Recruiting, facilitating, and maintaining a youth community advisory board (YCAB) to inform an HIV prevention research project with adolescent MSM and transgender youth.” Workshop presentation. Presented by Sophia Geffen. Denver, CO. July 2017.

Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. Aging with Dignity Conference. “Substance use among LGBT elders.” Worcester, MA. With Kevin Cranston, Director, Mass. DPH Bureau of Infectious Diseases. June 2017.

Salem State University. LGBT Elders in an Ever Changing World Conference. “Comorbidities affecting LGBT older adults and policy interventions to reduce them.” Salem, MA. March 2017.

U.S. State Department Global Health Delegation. “Discrimination, data collection, and LGBT health disparities.” The Fenway Institute, Boston. March 2017.

San Francisco AIDS Foundation, ViiV meeting on gay, bisexual, and transgender men’s health. “Implications of GOP health reform for LGBT people, Black and Latino Americans, PLWH; SOGI data collection.” Keynote. March 2017.

HIV Prevention Action Coalition, National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. “Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data in electronic health records.” Webinar using Zoom technology. March 2017.

Hunter College Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute, LGBT Social Science and Public Policy Center. LGBTQ Aging: A research-to-policy symposium. “Federal and state policy changes to support healthy aging among LGBT older adults.” March 2017.

Deloitte. “Gender identity in the workplace and beyond.” Panel discussion. Boston. January 2017.

Boston Ryan White HIV Planning Council. “Issues affecting long-term survivors and older adults living with HIV.” January 2017.

HOPE Nursing Conference. Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Harvard University Center for AIDS Research. “Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program’s support of comprehensive enabling services, integrated care helps PLWH remain in care, achieve viral suppression.” Webinar. December 2016.

Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. Office of Diversity, Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights. “Providing culturally competent care for LGBT elders.” In-person presentation and webinar with Kevin Cranston, Director, Bureau of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts Department of Public Health; Dale Mitchell, Ethos; Ana Karchmer, Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. December 2016.

Rhode Island Department of Health, Brown University Alpert Medical School. Health Equity in Action: Justice and Health for All conference. “Behavioral health, aging, and LGBT health equity.” December 2016.

National Center for Innovation in HIV Care. “Strategies to support successful aging among older adults living with HIV.” Webinar with Lisa Krinsky, LGBT Aging Project. December 2016.

Gerontological Society of America, New Orleans, LA. Preconference Institute: The development of evidence-based practices: Expanding the reach to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults. “State and federal policy change to promote evidence-based practice for LGBT elders.” November 2016.

ViiV Community Summit, Fort Lauderdale, FL. “Organizations transforming: A look at the evolving AIDS Service Organization landscape.” November 2016.

Fenway Health, Board of Visitors semiannual meeting, Boston. “Discrimination, data collection, and LGBT health disparities.” November 2016.

American Public Health Association, Summer Institute in LGBT Health Reunion, Denver. “A damburst of dreams on LGBT data collection.” October 2016.

Justice Resource Institute. Beyond the basics: Advancing care for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults. “Mental health and substance use among LGBTQ youth.” Boston. October 2016.

Harvard Law School. Incomplete justice: The ongoing struggle for full LGBTQ equality in our local communities. Lambda conference. “Recent developments in LGBT health policy.” Cambridge, MA. September 2016.

Testimony to Boston City Council, Committee on Healthy Women, Families and Communities. “Racial and ethnic disparities in HIV burden among young gay and bisexual men.” September 2016.

U.S. Conference on AIDS. National Minority AIDS Council. “HIV/AIDS service organizations growing to provide medical care in the South.” Organizer and Moderator. “Collection and use of data to improve HIV outcomes among women.” Panelist. Hollywood, Florida. September 2016.

National Ryan White Conference on HIV Care and Treatment. “Transgender women, feminizing hormones, and PrEP: What we know and what we need to know.” Presenter and organizer. “Incarceration, sexual victimization, reintegration, and the HIV care continuum.” Presenter and organizer. “National Center for Innovation in HIV Care.” Presenter at meeting between HRSA HIV/AIDS Bureau leadership and national cooperative agreements. August 2016.

American Statistical Association, Joint Statistical Meeting. “Expanding capacity for the measurement of sexual orientation and gender identity in federal surveys.” Discussant. Chicago. August 2016.

Massachusetts General Hospital. “Health policy research.” Presentation to psychiatry interns. Boston. July 2016.

AIDS 2016, International AIDS Conference. “Competent and affirming health care for gay and bisexual men/MSM and transgender women as a broader context for HIV care and prevention.” Chair and organizer. “Strategies to improve the health of older adults living with HIV.” Presenter. “U.S. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program’s support for comprehensive enabling services, integrated care helps PLWH remain in care, achieve viral suppression.” Poster presentation. Coauthored with Kenneth Mayer, M.D. and Stephen Boswell, M.D. Durban, South Africa. July 2016.

Academy Health. “Identifying best practices for asking about sexual orientation and gender identity with Medicare beneficiaries.” Coauthors Chris Haffer, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Office of Minority Health, and Tim Wang, Fenway Institute. Boston. June 2016.

VITAL Conference, America’s Essential Hospitals. “Collecting and using sexual orientation, gender identity data in EHRs.” Critical conversation with Leandro Mena, M.D., University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Kellan Baker, MPH, Center for American Progress. Boston. June 2016.

Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. “Collecting sexual orientation, gender identity data from older adults to improve services.” Webinar with Family Caregiver Support staff from across Massachusetts. Co-presented with Bob Linscott, Assistant Director, LGBT Aging Project. Boston. June 2016.
Northeastern University School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs. “Federal and state policy changes to advance LGBT health equity.” Boston. April 2016.

Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs. “Collecting sexual orientation, gender identity data from older adults to improve services.” Webinar with Aging Service Access Point (ASAP) staff from across Massachusetts. Co-presented with Bob Linscott, Assistant Director, LGBT Aging Project. Boston. April 2016.

Bi-State Primary Care Association, Vermont and New Hampshire. “Do Ask, Do Tell! Collecting Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Health Centers.” April 2016.

Kraft Family National Center for Leadership and Training in Community Health, Class of 2016 and Class of 2017 Joint Learning Day. “Research, policy analysis, and education to improve HIV prevention and care.” Panel with Alex Gonzalez, M.D., Medical Director of Fenway Health, and Lori Panther, M.D., Associate Medical Director for Clinical Research, Fenway Institute, Boston. April 2016.

Boston College School of Social Work. “The Massachusetts Special Legislative Committee on LGBT Aging: Improving Services.” April 2016.

National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors 2016 Eastern Regional Meeting. “Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data in Electronic Health Records.” Boston. April 2016.

Salem State University. LGBT Elders in an Ever Changing World. “The Special Legislative Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Aging Report: Implementing Policy Change and Service Improvement in Massachusetts.” With Dale Mitchell, Ethos, Member of Mass. LGBT Aging Commission. Salem, Massachusetts. March 2016.

Harvard University LGBTQ Conference. Beyond Marriage. Panel: “LGBTQ Health: Destructive Disparities.” March 2016.

National Center for Innovation in HIV Care webinar. “National HIV/AIDS Strategy 2020 and the Federal Action Plan: Implications for ASOs, CBOs, and Community Health Centers.” December 2015.

Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research Advancing Ethical Research Conference. “Research with and about LGBT people.” Panel with John Guidry, Gay Men’s Health Crisis. Boston. November 2015.

National Association of Community Health Centers. Financial Operations Management/Information Management Conference. “Collecting social determinants of health data to reduce disparities and improve outcomes.” Panel with Rosy Chang Weir (Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations) and Chris Grasso (Fenway Institute). Las Vegas. November 2015.

Harvard University, Harvard Gender and Sexuality Caucus, Harvard Alumni Association. What Should We Do After “I Do”? “Minding our elders: The greying of the LGBTQ community.” Organizer and moderator. September 2015.

Office of Minority Health Resource Center. Higher Education Technical Assistance Project Regional Training. “Our Health Matters: Reducing health disparities with Boston LGBTQ youth of color.” Session 8: Women, Youth, and Community Partnerships. Simmons College, Boston. August 2015.

Forum for Collaborative HIV Research. National Summit on HCV and HIV Diagnosis, Prevention and Access to Care. “The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in the age of health care reform.” Arlington, VA. June 2015.

LGBT Health Workforce Conference. Hunter College, CUNY Center for LGBTQ Studies. “Recent federal policy developments re: SO/GI data collection in EHRs, clinical settings.” Plenary panel. May 2015.

New York University. “NYU professors talk LGBTQ health.” Panel discussion. NYU LGBTQ Student Center, College of Nursing, Global Public Health Action Network. April 2015.

Harvard School of Public Health. “Health resilience and risk in a sample of House and Ball community members.” Women, Gender, and Health Interdisciplinary Concentration. Trans-disciplinary Series on Justice and Health. With Sarah Trieweiler, Fenway Institute Research Intern. April 2015.

LGBT Elders in an Ever-Changing World Conference. “The Massachusetts LGBT Aging Commission: Supporting resiliency through policy change and service improvement.” Salem State University School of Social Work, Salem, Massachusetts. With Janson Wu, Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders. March 2015.

LGBT Primary Care Alliance Strategic Meeting. National Association of Community Health Centers Policy and Issues Forum. “Collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data in the Electronic Health Record: Why and how.” With Harvey Makadon, M.D., Fenway Institute, Washington, DC. March 2015.

American Public Health Association. “Legal protections in public accommodations settings: A critical public health issue for transgender adults in Massachusetts.” Reisner SL, White JM, Dunham E, Begenyi J, Heflin K, Cahill S. Oral Presentation. Abstract 302972. New Orleans. November 2014.

Summer Institute in LGBT Population Health Research. The Fenway Institute and Northeastern University. “Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data collection in clinical records, Electronic Health Records, and Meaningful Use guidelines.” Boston. August 2014.

International AIDS Conference. “Promoting HIV Prevention and Research with Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) Through U.S. Foreign Policy.” Valadez R, Cahill S. Poster presentation. Melbourne, Australia. July 2014.

California Institute for Integral Studies. Expanding the Circle: Creating an Inclusive Environment for LGBTQ Students and Studies in Higher Education. Keynote. “LGBT policy issues and higher education.” Also taught weekend-long course in LGBT policy. San Francisco. June 2014.

Salem State University School of Social Work. LGBT Elders in an Ever-Changing World conference. “LGBT older adults: Demographics and key policy issues.” Salem, Massachusetts. May 2014.

Massachusetts LGBT Aging Commission. “LGBT older adults: Demographics and key frames for understanding policy issues.” Boston. April 2014.

Hampshire College. Civil Liberties and Public Policy conference. From abortion rights to social justice: Building the movement for reproductive freedom. “LGBT health disparities.” Amherst, Massachusetts. April 2014.

Forum for Collaborative HIV Research. University of California, Berkeley. Use of Generic ARVs for Treatment of HIV in the United States. Panelist, Session on Financing, Payments and Reimbursement Considerations in HIV Care. Washington, DC. March 2014.

Harvard University Graduate School of Education. “LGBT youth of color: Disparities and resilience.” Presentation on NIMHD-funded community-based research project in Boston. March 2014.

Tufts University Experimental College. “Policy issues affecting transgender people in the U.S., globally.” Medford, Massachusetts. February 2014.

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change conference. Pre-conference Institute on the Affordable Care Act and LGBT Health. Co-organized with the Center for American Progress. January 2014. Houston, Texas.

Gerontological Society of America. Presenter of “Health policy and elder policy benefits of LGBT-specific congregate meal programs.” Moderator and co-organizer of symposium, “Congregate meal programs: A potential resiliency factor for LGBT older adults.” New Orleans, Louisiana. November 2013.

New England Alliance on Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health. “Gay and bisexual men and the Affordable Care Act.” Ogunquit, Maine. October 2013.

Gay and Lesbian Medical Association Annual Meeting, Denver. “LGBT elder health care and policy issues.” September 2013

Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Annual Symposium, San Francisco. “The public policy significance of data collection on sexual orientation and gender identity.” August 2013

California Institute for Integral Studies. Launch of PhD Program in Human Sexuality. “A dam burst of dreams on LGBT policy.” August 2013

Summer Institute, Center for Population Research in LGBT Health, The Fenway Institute and Boston University School of Public Health. “LGBT health policy and HIV policy in the context of health care reform.”AIDS Care Ocean State, Pathways to Healthy Housing conference. Providence, Rhode Island, March 2013. “HIV and aging.”

Salem State University, Salem, MA. LGBT elders in an ever changing world conference (Salem State University School of Social Work, North Shore Elder Services, LGBT Aging Project), March 2013. “Policy issues affecting LGBT elders.”

Boston HIV Planning Council, Consumer Committee, Boston, MA. January 2013. “HIV and aging.”

Forum for Collaborative HIV Research, 2012 National Summit on HIV and Viral Hepatitis Diagnosis, Prevention, and Access to Care, November 26-28, 2012. Poster session, “How to implement PrEP.” Oral session, “Pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention,” Prevention Models category.

American Public Health Association, San Francisco, CA, October 28-31, 2012. Oral presentations: “Collecting data on sexual orientation in clinical settings,” “Overcoming concerns and barriers to implementing pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention.”

Harvard University Graduate School of Education. “LGBT youth in America’s schools.” October 4, 2012.

Harvard University Kennedy School of Government. Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. Sexuality, Gender and Human Rights Program. “LGBT youth and health disparities.” September 21, 2012.

Summer Institute in LGBT Population Health, Center for Population Research in LGBT Health, The Fenway Institute, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, “LGBT youth in America’s schools.” August 1, 2012.

International AIDS Conference, Washington, DC. Organizer and moderator, satellite session, “Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention: Maximizing success.” Co-author, poster session, “Knowledge of and attitudes toward PrEP in a New York City sample of sexually active MSM.” July 20-27, 2012.

Young Elected Officials Network, Washington, DC. Plenary panel (with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius). “Building a healthy society: The state of health care in America.” June 22, 2012.

Boston University School of Public Health. “Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health policy and HIV policy in the context of health care reform.” Presentation to faculty and graduate students. May 8, 2012.

National Primary Care Conference on Aging. “Aging in LGBT communities: Improving services and eliminating barriers to care.” April 30, 2012.

HealthHIV SYNChronicity, Arlington, VA. “PrEP: Moving toward implementation.” April 21, 2012.

National Health Promotion Summit, Washington, DC. “Gathering sexual orientation and gender identity data in clinical settings.” April 10, 2012.

American Society on Aging. “LGBT elder and HIV elder policy issues.” Washington, DC. March 29, 2012.

National Association of Community Health Centers, Policy and Issues Forum. “Meeting the health care needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people: Issues in education and health policy.” (S. Cahill, H. Makadon, H. Goldhammer, R. Vanderwarker.) Washington, DC. March 23, 2012.

Salem State University, LGBT elders in a changing world. “LGBT elder policy issues.” Salem, Massachusetts. March 17, 2012.

Root Cause Social Issues Forum, the Boston Foundation. “LGBT elder and HIV elder policy issues.”  Boston, Massachusetts. March 16, 2012.

Wagner School of Public Policy, New York University. “Getting to zero new infections: World AIDS Day reflections on HIV policy in the U.S. and globally.” Organizer and moderator. Sponsored by the Stonewall Policy Alliance, LGBT students at Wagner School. December 8, 2012.

Gerontological Society of America. “Growing older with the epidemic: HIV and aging policy” (S. Cahill, N. Schaefer). “Multimorbidities and ADL difficulty predict use of community-based services among older adults with HIV.” (M. Brennan, L. Seidel, S. Karpiak, J. Guidry, S. Cahill, N. Candelario, A. London). Boston. November 19, 2011.

New York University LGBTQ Student Center. “LGBT health care policy in the Obama-Biden Administration.” November 7, 2011.

New England Association of HIV Over 50, National Conference on HIV/AIDS and Aging. Panelist. Kennedy Library, Boston. September 23, 2011.

Cahill S. (2020, May 20). Gender identity and sexual orientation should be included in COVID-19 testing. The Boston Globe.

Royer D, Cahill S (2019, September 29). The LGBTQ agenda – equality. The Cedar Rapids Gazette.

Cox M, Cahill S (2019, July 2). Ending abuse of LGBTQ prisoners in Mass. The Boston Globe.

Cahill S. (2019, June 28). Trump shreds LGBT health protections. Public Health Post.

Cahill S (2019, May 13). Trump’s “conscience rule” is a perversion of religious freedom. The Advocate.

Cahill S (2019, February 18). Trump policies hinder HIV fight. Public Health Post.

Cahill S (2019, February 6). Trump’s dubious promise about ending HIV. The Boston Globe.

Cahill S (2019, January 29). Wide and deep: Trump’s anti-LGBT crusade. Wgbh.org

Cahill S (2019, January 22). Trump Administration rolls the clock back for LGBT and poz folk. HIV Plus.

Cahill S (2018, October 26). Criminal justice reforms aimed at LGBT youth will improve conditions for everyone. The Hill.

Cahill S (2018, January 19). Trump Administration amasses striking anti-LGBT record in first year. The Hill.

Cahill S (2017, December 21). Trump Administration actions threaten widespread anti-LGBT discrimination in healthcare and beyond. Huffington Post.

Cahill S (2017, December 4). If they don’t count us, we don’t count. Public Health Post.

Cahill S (2017, September-October). Make America sick again: Repeal Obamacare? Cut Medicaid? LGBT people will be hard hit. The Gay and Lesbian Review. XXIV(5);21-23.

Cahill S (2017, July 27). Healthcare debate puts years of progress for LGBT people and HIV patients at risk. WGBH.

Cahill S (2017, June 12). Refusal laws threaten LGBT health care access. Public Health Post.

Cahill S (2017, May 30). Trump-Pence budget would weaken response to outbreaks of infectious disease. The Hill.

Wang T, Cahill S (2017, March 22). Trumpcare would harm LGBT people and those living with HIV. WGBH News. Commentary.

Wang T, Cahill S (2017, March 22). The American Health Care Act holds potentially devastating consequences for people living with HIV. HIV Plus.

Wang T, Cahill S (2017, March 13). LGBT people and people living with HIV need to take charge in healthcare debate. HIV Plus.

Cahill S (2017, March 8). LGBT community and people with HIV have much to lose in health debate. The Hill.

Cahill S (2017, March-April). Where HIV has not been tamed. The Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide. 22-23.

Wang T, Cahill S. (2016, September 23). ACA rule should improve access to health care for transgender people. The Hill.

Cahill S. (2016, September 16). Aging with HIV/AIDS: The progress made, and the challenges that remain. WBUR Cognoscenti blog.

Cahill S (2016, June 17). Orlando and the broader context of anti-LGBT backlash. The Hill.

Cahill S (2016, April 12). Health Care Reform Is Saving Lives. Huffington Post.

Cahill S (2016, March 17). Cherishing all the children of the nation equally: My gay Irish American journey. Huffington Post.

Cahill S (2016, February 18). New HIV diagnoses have declined, but not for Black gay and bisexual men. Health Affairs Blog.

Wang T, Cahill S (2016, January 7). Anti-transgender bills threaten people’s ability to fully participate in society. The Hill.

Cahill S, Makadon H (2015, November 6). A game-changer for LGBT health. The Boston Globe.

Mermin J, Cahill S (2015, September 18). HIV and aging. AIDS.gov.

Cahill S, Mayer K (2015, August 19). Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program a huge success—let’s build on it. The Hill.

Cahill S (2015, July 24). What we’re looking for over the next five years of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. Huffington Post.

Cahill S, Mayer K (2014, September-October). Wider PrEP use could reduce HIV infections. The Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide.

Cahill S (2014). Are you being served—medically? The Advocate.

Cahill S., Reisner S. (2014). Social justice can cure what ails us; Being discriminated against is bad for your health, according to new findings. The Advocate.

Cahill S., Bradford J., Makadon H. (2014). New CDC data on lesbian, gay and bisexual health demonstrate resiliency, disparities.Huffington Post.

Cahill S., Mayer K. (2014). New CDC PrEP guidelines could transform HIV prevention. Huffington Post.

Cahill S. (2014). Steps healthcare providers can take to provide affirming care to transgender elders. Aging Today; The bimonthly newspaper of the American Society on Aging. May-June 2014. Volume xxxv Number 3. 11.

Cahill S. (2014). Kathleen Sebelius’s LGBT Legacy. Huffington Post.

Mayer K., Cahill S., Safren S., Mimiaga M., Makadon H. (2013, December 28). Repeal Section 377. The Hindu.

Cahill S. and Makadon H. (2013, September). The Affordable Care Act: Real benefits for LGBT people. Huffington Post.

Cahill, S., Makadon, H., Baker, K., and Keatley, J. (2013, January). End LGBT invisibility in health care now! Do ask, do tell. Huffington Post.

Cahill, S. (2012, July). Caution and optimism; AIDS 2012 highlights challenges, but also successes to guide us forward. MetroWeekly.

Cahill, S. (2012, July). Homophobia hinders AIDS fight. Politico.com.

Cahill, S. (2012, July). A new turning point in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Huffington Post.

Cahill, S. (2012, June). The Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the ACA is especially important for LGBT people and those living with HIV/AIDS. Huffington Post.

Cahill, S., and Cianciotto, J. (2012, June). Let’s make it better now for LGBT youth. Boston.com (The Boston Globe online).

Cahill, S. (2012, May). A potential game changer in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Huffington Post.

Cahill, S. (2012, March). A game changer in the fight against HIV.Boston.com (The Boston Globe online).

Cahill S (2020, October 27). Public school policies: Discrimination, harassment, bullying, and accommodations. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics.

Jennifer M. Putney, Nicholas Hebert, Matthew Snyder, Robert O. Linscott & Sean Cahill (2020) The Housing Needs of Sexual and Gender Minority Older Adults: Implications for Policy and Practice. Journal of Homosexuality.

Cahill S, Grasso C, Keuroghlian A, Sciortino C, Mayer K (2020, September). Sexual and Gender Minority Health in the COVID-19 Pandemic:  Why Data Collection and Combatting Discrimination Matter Now More than Ever. American Journal of Public Health. Vol. 110, No. 9. 1360-1361.

Cahill S (2020, September). “The Best of Times…the Worst of Times”: What Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia and the Repeal of Federal Nondiscrimination Rules Mean for LGBT Health. LGBT Health. 7(7); 345-348.

Olivieri-Mui B, McGuire J, Griffith J, Cahill S, & Briesacher B. (2020). Exploring the association between the quality of HIV care in nursing homes and hospitalization. Journal for Healthcare Quality.

Hughto, J.M.W., Pletta, D., Gordon, L., Cahill, S., Mimiaga, M.J., & Reisner, S.L. (2020) Negative transgender-related media messages are associated with adverse mental health outcomes in an online sample of transgender adults. LGBT Health.

Restar A, Jin H, Breslow A, Reisner SL, Mimiaga M, Cahill S, Hughto JMW. Legal gender marker and name change is associated with lower negative emotional response to gender-based mistreatment and improve mental health outcomes among trans populations. SSM Population Health. 2020 Aug; 11:100595. PMID: 32435684.

Olivieri-Mui B, McGuire J, Griffith J, Cahill S, & Briesacher B. (2020). Assessing the Quality of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Care in Nursing Homes. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. doi:10.1111/jgs.16359

Fontenot HB, Cahill SR, Wang T, Geffen S, White BP, Reisner S, Conron K, Harper CR, Johns MM, Avripas SA, Michaels S, Dunville R. (2020) Transgender youth’s experiences and perspectives related to HIV preventive services. Pediatrics.

Cahill S (2020). Public school policies: Discrimination, harassment, bullying, and accommodations. Oxford Encyclopedia of LGBT Politics and Policy. Oxford University Press.

Cahill SR, Geffen SR, Fontenot HB, Wang TM, Viox MH, Fordyce E, Stern MJ, Harper CR, Johns MM, Avripas SA, Michaels S, Mayer KH, Dunville R. Youth-Serving Professionals’ Perspectives on HIV Prevention Tools and Strategies Appropriate for Adolescent Gay and Bisexual Males and Transgender Youth. Journal of Pediatric Health Care. 2019 Oct 22. PMID: 31653461.

Cahill S, Keatley J, Taylor SW, Sevelius J, Elsesser S, Geffen S, Wang T, Mayer K. (2019, September). “Some of us, we don’t know where we’re going to be tomorrow.” Contextual factors affecting PrEP use and adherence among a diverse sample of transgender women in San Francisco. AIDS Care.

Olivieri-Mui B, McGuire JF, Griffith J, Cahill S, Briesacher B (2019 Jan-Feb). People living with HIV/AIDS in U.S. nursing homes in the fourth decade of the epidemic. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. 30(1):20-34.

Griffin-Tomas, M., Cahill, S., Kapadia, F., & Halkitis, P.N. (2018 Dec 20). Access to health services among young adult gay men in New York City. American Journal of Men’s Health. PMID: 30569800 [Epub ahead of print]

Goldstein RH, Streed CG, Cahill SR (2018, September 19). Be PrEPared—Preexposure Prophylaxis and HIV Disparities. New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1804306.

Geffen S, Horn T, Smith KJ, Cahill S (2018). Advocacy for gender affirming care: Learning from the injectable estrogen shortage. Transgender Health. 3:1, 42–44, DOI: 10.1089/trgh.2017.0025.

Wang T, Cahill S (2018). Anti-transgender political backlash threatens health, access to care. American Journal of Public Health.

Cahill S. (2018). Legal and policy issues for LGBT patients with cancer or at elevated risk of cancer. Seminars in Oncology Nursing.

Dragon C, Erdem E, Haffer C, Laffan A, Cahill S, Kenefick D, Ye J (2017). Health indicators for older sexual minorities: National Health Interview Survey, 2013-2014. LGBT Health. 4(6): 398-403.

Cahill S. (2017). Research and policy change to improve health care and elder services for LGBT older adults. LGBT Health. 4(6): 381-383.

Cahill S (2017). HIV positive gay men, health care, legal rights, and policy issues. In Wilton L (editor). Understanding Prevention for HIV Positive Gay Men: Innovative Approaches in Addressing the AIDS Epidemic. New York: Springer.

Cahill S (2017). From “Don’t drop the soap” to PREA standards: Reducing sexual victimization of LGBT people in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. LGBTQ Politics: A Critical Reader. New York: New York University Press. 134-152.

Cahill S,Trieweiler S, Guidry J, Rash N, Stamper L, Conron K, Turcotte N, Gratch I, Lowry P (2017). High rates of access to health care, disclosure of sexuality and gender identity to providers among House and Ball Community members in New York City. Journal of Homosexuality.

Cahill SR, Makadon HJ (2017). If they don’t count us, we don’t count: Trump Administration rolls back sexual orientation and gender identity data collection. LGBT Health 4(3).

Cahill S, Wang T (2017). An end to lifetime blood donation ban in Israel for MSM would be a major step toward a science-based policy that reduces stigma. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research. 6:15. 1-5.

Krinsky L, Cahill S. (2017). Advancing LGBT elder policy and support services: The Massachusetts model. LGBT Health. Special issue on LGBT aging.

Cahill S. (2017, April). LGBT experiences in health care. Health Affairs 36(4); 773-774.

Cahill S, Taylor SW, Elsesser SA, Mena L, Hickson D, Mayer KH (2017). Stigma, medical mistrust, and perceived racism may affect PrEP awareness and uptake in Black compared to White gay and bisexual men in Jackson, Mississippi and Boston, Massachusetts. AIDS Care.

Cahill S, Mayer KH, Boswell S (2017). Priorities for public health spending. (Letter to editor.) Journal of the American Medical Association 317(12):1277-1278.

Cahill S (2016). Expanding capacity for the measurement of sexual orientation and gender identity in federal surveys: Discussion. Joint Statistical Meeting Proceedings, Social Statistics Section. Alexandria, VA: American Statistical Association.

Bradford J, Putney J, Shepard B, Sass S, Rudicel S, Ladd H, Cahill S (2016, April). Healthy aging in community for older lesbians. LGBT Health. DOI: 10.1089/LGBT.2015.0019.

Burkhalter JE, Margolies L, Sigurdsson HO, Walland J, Radix A, Rice D, Buchting FO, Sanchez NF, Bare MG, Boehmer U, Cahill S, Griebling TL, Bruessow D, Maingi S (2016, February). The National LGBT Cancer Action Plan: A white paper of the 2014 National Summit on Cancer in the LGBT Communities. LGBT Health. 3(1); 19-31.

Cahill S, Baker K, Deutsch M, Keatley J, Makadon H. (2015, December 28 published online). Inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in Stage 3 Meaningful Use guidelines a huge step forward for LGBT health. LGBT Health.

Reisner SL, White Hughto JM, Dunham E, Heflin K, Begenyi JB, Coffey-Esquivel J, Cahill S (2015, July). Legal protections in public accommodations settings: A critical public health issue for transgender and gender nonconforming people. Milbank Quarterly. 1-32.

Cahill S, Mayer K, & Boswell S (2015, June). The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in the age of health care reform. American Journal of Public Health. 105(6): 1078-1085.

Cahill S & Vargas H (2015, April). Policy and legal issues affecting LGBT health. Makadon H, Mayer K, Potter J, Goldhammer H (eds.). The Fenway Guide to LGBT HealthPhiladelphia: American College of Physicians. Second edition. 519-538.

Porter K & Cahill S (2014, September 24). A state-level review of diversity initiatives in congregate meal programs established under the Older Americans Act. Research on Aging. DOI: 10.1177/0164027514552330.

Cahill, S., Singal, R., Grasso, C., King, D., Mayer, K., Baker, K., and Makadon, H. (2014). Do Ask, Do Tell: High Levels of Acceptability by Patients of Routine Collection of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in Four Diverse American Community Health Centers. PLOS One.

Cahill, S. Community Resources and Government Services for LGBT Older Adults and Their Families. Orel, N., Fruhauf, C. (eds.). The Lives of LGBT Older Adults: Understanding Challenges and Resilience. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2014. 141-170.

Cahill, S. & Makadon, H. (2014). Sexual orientation and gender identity collection update: U.S. Government takes steps to promote sexual orientation and gender identity collection through meaningful use guidelines. LGBT Health. 1(3). 1-4.

Mantell, J., Sandfort, T., Hoffman, S., Guidry, J., Masvawure, T., and Cahill, S. Knowledge and attitudes about preexposure prophylaxis among sexually active men who have sex with men and who participate in New York City Gay Pride events. LGBT Health. 1(2). Published online ahead of print February 2014. doi:10.1089/lgbt.2013.0047.

Cahill, S., Schaefer, N., & Valadez, R. (2013). Promoting HIV Prevention and Research with Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) through U.S. Foreign Policy. Global HIV/AIDS Politics, Policy, and Activism: Persistent Challenges and Emerging Issues. Volume 2: Policy and Policymaking. (Raymond Smith, editor.) Westport, Connecticut: Praeger. 69-86 (PDF).

Cahill, S., & Makadon, H. (2013, September). Sexual orientation and gender identity data collection in clinical settings and in Electronic Health Records: A key to ending LGBT health disparities. LGBT Health. 1(1). 1-8.

Brennan, M., Seidel, L., London, A., Cahill, S., & Karpiak, S. (2013). Service Utilization among Older Adults with HIV: The Joint Association of Sexual Identity and Gender. Journal of Homosexuality

Cahill, S., & Valadez, R. (2013, January 17 published online ahead of print). Growing Older with HIV/AIDS: New Public Health Challenges.American Journal of Public Health. E1-e10. Doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.301161.

Cahill, S., Valadez, R. & Ibarrola S. (2012, November 15, advance published online). Community-based HIV Prevention Interventions That Combat Antigay Stigma for Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Women. Journal of Public Health Policy (OVERVIEW).

Burkhalter, J., Cahill, S., Shuk, E., Guidry, J., Corner, G., Berk, A., Candelario, N., Kornegay, M. and Lubetkin, E. (October 4, 2012). At the Intersection of HIV/AIDS and Cancer: A Qualitative Needs Assessment of Community-Based HIV/AIDS Service Organizations.Health Education and Behavior. (NCBI)

Cahill, S., Schaefer, N., & Valadez, R. (in press). Promoting HIV Prevention and Research with Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) through U.S. Foreign Policy. Global HIV/AIDS Politics, Policy, and Activism: Persistent Challenges and Emerging Issues. (Raymond Smith, editor). Westport, Connecticut: Praeger.

Cianciotto, J., & Cahill, S. (2012, May). LGBT Youth in America’s Schools. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press .

Cahill, S. & Valadez, R., (2012, Spring). Community-Based Approaches to HIV Prevention that Address Anti-Gay Stigma.Psychology & AIDS Exchange.

Questions & Inquiries 

617.927.6112

Ansin Building

1340 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215

Department Staff

Sean Cahill, PhD
Director, Health Policy Research

Carrie Richgels
Manager of Policy and Advocacy

Whitney Crebase
Health Policy Analyst

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