title: Sexual minority population density and incidence of lung, colorectal and female breast cancer in California.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Risk factors for breast, colorectal, and lung cancer are known to be more common among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, suggesting they may be more likely to develop these cancers. Our objective was to determine differences in cancer incidence by sexual orientation, using sexual orientation data aggregated at the county level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on cancer incidence were obtained from the California Cancer Registry and data on sexual orientation were obtained from the California Health Interview Survey, from which a measure of age-specific LGB population density by county was calculated. Using multivariable Poisson regression models, the association between the age-race-stratified incident rate of breast, lung and colorectal cancer in each county and LGB population density was examined, with race, age group and poverty as covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among men, bisexual population density was associated with lower incidence of lung cancer and with higher incidence of colorectal cancer. Among women, lesbian population density was associated with lower incidence of lung and colorectal cancer and with higher incidence of breast cancer; bisexual population density was associated with higher incidence of lung and colorectal cancer and with lower incidence of breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These study findings clearly document links between county-level LGB population density and cancer incidence, illuminating an important public health disparity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Boehmer
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Nancy I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Maxwell
authors.forename: Al
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozonoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001727:Bisexuality; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D055815:Young Adult