sciencetech-blog

comments

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people may be more likely to smoke and drink excessively, a major new study has found.

The new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also found that 1.6% of Americans identified as gay or lesbian, and 0.7% identified as bisexual.

'Significant differences were found in health-related behaviors, health status, health care service utilization, and health care access among U.S. adults aged 18–64 who identified as straight, gay
or lesbian, or bisexual,' the report found.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also found that 1.6% of Americans identified as gay or lesbian, and 0.7% identified as bisexual

It also found Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people experience more serious psychological distress than compared with heterosexual people - but are healthier in other areas.

'Based on the 2013 NHIS data, 96.6% of adults identified as straight, 1.6% identified as gay or lesbian, and 0.7% identified as bisexual,' the report said.

'The remaining 1.1% of adults identified as 'something else,' stated 'I don't know  the answer,' or refused to provide an answer.

The report is the first time that the CDC has looked at health disparities among lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations on a national level, after recently adding an option for people participating in the agency's National Health Interview Survey to indicate their sexual orientation.

The survey, conducted in 2013, included nearly 35,000 adults.

The researchers found that a higher percentage of gay or lesbian (35.1 percent) and bisexual people (41.5 percent) said they had five or more drinks on one day at least once in the past year, compared with those who identified themselves as straight (26 percent).

Similarly, a higher percentage of gay, lesbian and bisexual people reported being smokers, compared with straight participants.

The research also found Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people experience more serious psychological distress than compared with heterosexual people - but are healthier in other areas.

A higher percentage of bisexual people (11 percent) experienced serious psychological distress in the past 30 days, compared with their counterparts who identified as straight (3.9 percent), according to the report released today (July 15) by the CDC.

However, the researchers didn't find differences in people's levels of physical activity, or the percentage of all people reporting that they were in excellent or good health, based on sexual orientation. However, among women, a higher percentage of straight women (63.3 percent) said they were in excellent or very good health, compared with lesbians (54 percent).

The CDC researchers cautioned that although the report is based on a relatively large, and nationally representative group of people, the number of participants who identified as gay or lesbian or bisexual is still relatively small, and some of the estimates may not be reliable.