title: Reported excellent health among men in same-sex and mixed-sex couples: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1993-2010.
abstract: Self-reported excellent health was examined across sexual orientation among male adult couples using 18 years of data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Men in same-sex couples were more likely to report being in excellent health (28.7%) than men in unmarried and married mixed-sex couples (20.4% and 23.2%). After adjusting for other demographic and health factors, men in same-sex couples remained more likely to report excellent health than men in unmarried mixed-sex couples, but not than men in married mixed-sex couples. Reporting only adverse health disparities provides a partial picture of sexual minority health, and discounts the role of resilience and other health promoting factors in these populations.
authors.affiliation: University of California Berkeley, Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy & Management, Berkeley, California 94720-3114, USA. bill.jesdale@gmail.com
authors.forename: Bill M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Jesdale
authors.forename: Jason W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D040343:Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; D006304:Health Status; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D054526:Men's Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult