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Study:
Health care use among gay, lesbian and bisexual Canadians
2003 and 2005
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data from the Canadian Community Health Survey for adults aged 18 to 59
A
new study published today in Health Reports provides the first
national picture of health care use by sexual orientation. It shows that
the use of health care services differs depending on self-identified
sexual orientation. The study examined whether self-identified sexual
orientation was a factor in the use of various aspects of health care,
such as consulting health care providers, having a regular doctor, and
using preventive procedures, such as Pap tests.
It
found that gay men were much more likely than heterosexual men to have
consulted a medical specialist or mental health service providers.
Among
women, lesbians were less likely than heterosexual women to have seen a
family doctor to have undergone a Pap test.
An
estimated 346,000 adults identified themselves as gay, lesbian
or bisexual in the survey.
These
people represented 1.9% of the total population aged 18 to 59.
Of
this group, 130,000 were gay men, 59,000 bisexual
men, 71,000 lesbians, and 85,000 bisexual women.
Use
of health care services differs by sexual orientation
About 29%
of gay men consulted a medical specialist, compared with 19% of
heterosexual men..
Similarly, 8%
of gay men consulted a psychologist, nearly triple the proportion of 3%
among their heterosexual counterparts.
About 7%
of gay men consulted social workers or counsellors, compared with 4%
of heterosexual men.
Among
women, 77% of lesbians had seen a family doctor, compared with 83%
of heterosexual women.
On
the other hand, 10% of lesbians consulted a psychologist, as did 11%
of bisexual women, well above the proportion of only 4% among
heterosexual women.
Similarly, 7%
of lesbians and 9% of bisexual women attended a self-help group,
while only 3% of their heterosexual counterparts did so.
About 17%
of bisexual women had contact with social workers or counsellors, nearly
three times the proportion of 6% among heterosexual women.
Lesbians,
bisexuals less likely to have a regular doctor
Statistically
similar proportions of gay, bisexual and heterosexual men reported that
they did not have a regular doctor.
Preventive
screening
Less
than two-thirds of lesbians reported having had a Pap test within three
years of the survey, well below the more than three-quarters of
heterosexual and bisexual women who had done so.
More
self-reported health problems
An
estimated 65% of gay men and 63% of lesbians reported their
health as excellent or very good, virtually identical to rates among the
heterosexual population.
However, 12%
of bisexual men and 16% of bisexual women reported fair or poor
health.
These
levels were significantly higher than the roughly 8% of men and
women in the heterosexual population.
The
study found that gay men and bisexual women tended to report more
chronic conditions than did the heterosexual population.
They
were also more likely to have had at least one disability day due to
physical illness in the two weeks prior to the survey.
Bisexual
men and women were more likely than heterosexual men and women to
perceive their mental health as fair or poor.
All
sexual minority groups reported levels of mood or anxiety disorders
above those for the heterosexual population.
You can
find the study @ http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080319/d080319b.htm
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