Sexual orientation and variation in physical and mental health status among women.
OBJECTIVE
To assess and compare the physical and mental health status of women of differing sexual orientation within a population-based sample.


METHODS
We used a population-based telephone survey performed using random digit dialing techniques. Our study population was drawn from the 1999 Los Angeles County Health Survey and included women age 18-64 years who reported their sexual orientation (98%, n = 4135). These analyses include 4023 heterosexuals, 69 bisexuals, and 43 lesbians.


RESULTS
We assessed the unique association of sexual orientation with physical and mental health status using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Both lesbians and bisexuals were more likely than heterosexual women to report a diagnosis of heart disease. Among women with a depressive disorder, lesbians were more likely than heterosexuals to be using an antidepressant medication. Compared with heterosexuals within the preceding 30 days, lesbians reported significantly more days of poor mental health, and bisexuals reported significantly more days of poor physical health. However, there were no significant differences by sexual orientation in impaired ability to perform daily activities due to physical or mental health.


CONCLUSIONS
In this rare opportunity to use population-based data to study lesbian and bisexual health, we found that sexual orientation as a nonheterosexual woman was associated with increased rates of poor physical and mental health. We believe these findings support the need for the increased systematic study of the relationship between sexual orientation and health.
Diamant
Allison L
AL
UCLA Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research and UCLA National Center of Excellence in Women's Health, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA. adiamant@mednet.ucla.edu
Wold
Cheryl
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology