Health care recommendations for lesbian women.
OBJECTIVE
To review research literature to provide clinicians with data-based recommendations for care of lesbians.


METHODS
Medline searches and references from selected articles with the search term "lesbian health."


METHODS
Literature was selected whether lesbian or women who have sex with women was utilized as a category in the study and results were available on this population.


METHODS
Data were organized according to specific health problems noted frequently in the research articles.


RESULTS
Lesbians have previously been invisible in health services and research, but in several areas, data now exists on which to base care.


CONCLUSIONS
Lesbians are now more comfortable "coming out" to providers but continue to have lower screening rates than other women. Risk is especially high in this population for cancer, heart disease, depression, and alcohol abuse. Adolescent lesbians are especially at risk for smoking and suicide/depression.
Roberts
Susan Jo
SJ
School of Nursing at Bouve College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA. s.roberts@neu.edu
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006293:Health Promotion; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D010808:Physical Examination; D011287:Prejudice; D012307:Risk Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D017749:Total Quality Management