STIGMA AND DISCLOSURE : THE HEALTH COMMUNICATION OF GAY AND BISEXUAL COLLEGE MALES.

Abstract

This thesis examines what it means to be a self-identified gay or bisexual male college student, and how stigma and disclosure relate to health. Qualitative research was conducted to explore the reasons some patients withhold disclosure of sexual orientation. A considerable amount of research has been done on disclosure of gay and bisexual males. Yet studies examining the combination of gay and bisexual college-age males, and communication as it pertain to stigma, disclosure, and health is lacking in the field of communication. This analysis attempts to address common reasons gay and bisexual males do not disclose their sexual orientation, how stigma affects that decision and how it relates to health.