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Objectives To report characteristics of sexual minority US inmates. Methods We drew our data from the National Inmate Survey, 2011–2012, a probability sample of inmates in US prisons and jails. We determined weighted proportions and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals to estimate differences between sexual minority and heterosexual inmates. Results Sexual minorities (those who self-identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual or report a same-sex sexual experience before arrival at the facility) were disproportionately incarcerated: 9.3% of men in prison, 6.2% of men in jail, 42.1% of women in prison, and 35.7% of women in jail were sexual minorities. The incarceration rate of self-identified lesbian, gay, or bisexual persons was 1882 per 100 000, more than 3 times that of the US adult population. Compared with straight inmates, sexual minorities were more likely to have been sexually victimized as children, to have been sexually victimized while incarcerated, to have experienced solitary confinement and other sanctions, and to report current psychological distress. Conclusions There is disproportionate incarceration, mistreatment, harsh punishment, and sexual victimization of sexual minority inmates, which calls for special public policy and health interventions.

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This study examined the health consequences for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations of exposure to communities with relatively high versus low levels of support for same-sex marriage. We used data from the Gallup Daily tracking survey, the largest probability-based sample of LGBT-identified adults in the United States (N = 11,949 LGBT respondents; N = 352,, which was linked to attitudinal responses on same-sex marriage obtained from the 2012 Cooperative Congressional Election Survey (N = 54,535). Controlling for potential confounders, higher levels of local approval of samesex marriage lowered the probability that LGBT (and non-LGBT) individuals reported smoking and fair/poor self-rated health; further, LGBT disparities in smoking were lower in communities where residents were most likely to support same-sex marriage. Findings suggest that local attitudes may be related to the health of LGBT individuals and contribute to sexual orientation health disparities, providing further evidence for the role of structural stigma in shaping LGBT health.Research documents a wide range of disparities in health and well-being outcomes between lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) and non-LGBT