title: FROM BIAS TO BISEXUAL HEALTH DISPARITIES: ATTITUDES TOWARD BISEXUAL MEN AND WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES.
abstract: A newly emergent literature suggest that bisexual men and women face profound health disparities in comparison to both heterosexual and homosexual individuals. Additionally, bisexual individuals often experience prejudice, stigma, and discrimination from both gay/lesbian and straight communities, termed "biphobia." However, only limited research exists that empirically tests the extent and predictors of this double discrimination. The Bisexualities: Indiana Attitudes Survey (BIAS) was developed to test associations between biphobia and sexual identity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using standard techniques, we developed and administered a scale to a purposive online sample of adults from a wide range of social networking websites. We conducted exploratory factor analysis to refine scales assessing attitudes toward bisexual men and bisexual women, respectively. Using generalized linear modeling, we assessed relationships between BIAS scores and sexual identity, adjusting for covariates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two separately gendered scales were developed, administered, and refined: BIAS-m (n=645), focusing on attitudes toward bisexual men; and BIAS-f (n=631), focusing on attitudes toward bisexual women. Across scales, sexual identity significantly predicted response variance. Lesbian/gay respondents had lower levels of bi-negative attitudes than their heterosexual counterparts (all p-values <.05); bisexual respondents had lower levels of bi-negative attitudes than their straight counterparts (all p-values <.001); and bisexual respondents had lower levels of bi-negative attitudes than their lesbian/gay counterparts (all p-values <.05). Within racial/ethnic minority respondents, biracial/multiracial status was associated with lower bi-negativity scores (all p-values <.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides important quantitative support for theories related to biphobia and double discrimination. Our findings provide strong evidence for understanding how stereotypes and stigma may lead to dramatic disparities in depression, anxiety, stress, and other health outcomes among bisexual individuals in comparison to their heterosexual and homosexual counterparts. Our results yield valuable data for informing social awareness and intervention efforts that aim to decrease bi-negative attitudes within both straight and gay/lesbian communities, with the ultimate goal of alleviating health disparities among bisexual men and women.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, mrf9@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: M Reuel
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.affiliation: Indiana University - Bloomington, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, bmdodge@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.affiliation: University of Texas, Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA, Vanessa.Schick@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.affiliation: Indiana University - Bloomington, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, Indiana. USA, debby@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Debby
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Herbenick
authors.affiliation: Indiana University - Bloomington, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, rdhubach@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Randolph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hubach
authors.affiliation: Indiana University - Bloomington, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, bowljess@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Jessamyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowling
authors.affiliation: Indiana University - Bloomington, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, ggoncalv@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, sek29@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krier
authors.affiliation: Indiana University - Bloomington, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, mireece@indiana.edu.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reece
keywords: Bisexuality; attitudes; bisexual men; bisexual women; stigma