title: Health Care Use, Health Behaviors, and Medical Conditions Among Individuals in Same-Sex and Opposite-Sex Partnerships: A Cross-Sectional Observational Analysis of the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS), 2003-2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prior research documents disparities between sexual minority and nonsexual minority individuals regarding health behaviors and health services utilization. However, little is known regarding differences in the prevalence of medical conditions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations between sexual minority status and medical conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2003-2011). We identified individuals who reported being partnered with an individual of the same sex, and constructed a matched cohort of individuals in opposite-sex partnerships.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 494 individuals in same-sex partnerships and 494 individuals in opposite-sex partnerships.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures of health risk (eg, smoking status), health services utilization (eg, physician office visits), and presence of 15 medical conditions (eg, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, HIV, alcohol disorders).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Same-sex partnered men had nearly 4 times the odds of reporting a mood disorder than did opposite-sex partnered men [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=3.96; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.85-8.48]. Compared with opposite-sex partnered women, same-sex partnered women had greater odds of heart disease (aOR=2.59; 95% CI, 1.19-5.62), diabetes (aOR=2.75; 95% CI, 1.10-6.90), obesity (aOR=1.92; 95% CI, 1.26-2.94), high cholesterol (aOR=1.89; 95% CI, 1.03-3.50), and asthma (aOR=1.90; 95% CI, 1.02-1.19). Even after adjusting for sociodemographics, health risk behaviors, and health conditions, individuals in same-sex partnerships had 67% increased odds of past-year emergency department utilization and 51% greater odds of ≥3 physician visits in the last year compared with opposite-sex partnered individuals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A combination of individual-level, provider-level, and system-level approaches are needed to reduce disparities in medical conditions and health care utilization among sexual minority individuals.
authors.affiliation: *Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System †Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health ‡Division of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine §Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Blosnich
authors.forename: Janel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hanmer
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Derrick D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Dio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kavalieratos
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D000072339:Sexual and Gender Minorities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology