SPH faculty attends Groundbreaking Fenway Institute Meeting on Bisexual Health Research

Brian Dodge

During a meeting hosted on June 26th by the Fenway Institute, leading bisexual health researchers and community activists from across the country agreed to form the Bisexual Research Collaborative on Health (BiRCH). BiRCH will not only provide opportunities for high-level discussions of bisexual health research, but will also look for ways to raise public awareness of bisexual health issues. 25 individuals including local, national and international researchers, as well as representatives from prominent organizations, including the School of Public Health-Bloomington, were in attendance.

 “For all of the remarkable progress that has been made in the field of LGBT health, we still simply do not know enough about the full range of health needs and health concerns facing bisexual people. Today’s meeting was an important step toward addressing this significant gap,” said Judith Bradford, PhD, Co-Chair of The Fenway Institute.

Attendees discussed area in need of further research, as well as how bisexuality was defined in their own individual pursuits. Topics it was agreed required more inquiry included the unique risk factors and stressors that influence bisexual health, the general health of bisexual men, how geographic and cultural contexts affect bisexual identities, and the pressing need for evidence-based interventions to address health inequities among bisexual groups.

“I really feel this day was a watershed moment in the history of bisexual health research,” reflected Brian Dodge, associate professor and associate director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. “I am so excited to move forward with this initiative and so grateful to have the opportunity to be involved.”