Epidemiological research on marginalized groups implies major validity challenges; lesbian health as an example

Sexual rights but not the right to health? Lesbian and bisexual women in South Africa’s National Strategic Plans on HIV and STIs

“…22 The public health value of the study is grounded in a human rights approach to health, particularly due to inherent problems with conducting research among marginalised populations with small sample sizes where the resulting data is often insufficiently powered to be considered statistically significant. 31 The limits of epidemiological data to support concerns about WSW seems to have been a key factor in relegating these concerns to the margins of policy discourse in 2011 in a context where the Ministry of Health insisted on an 'evidence-based' plan. The findings also suggest that heteronormative views of women's sexuality may have politicised discussions of HIV and STIs among lesbian and bisexual women, which has also been marginal within HIV research.…”

Nursing's Silence on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues

“…14,15 This individual focus can result in victim-blaming, putting the onus for health disparities on the individuals who suffer from them, rather than examining the larger social context. 16 In effect, using this individual focus results in many health care professionals thinking of sexual or gender identity as the risk factor for certain health problems, rather than recognizing that societal stigma about LGBT people is the risk factor.…”

Is the risk for sexually transmissible infections (STI) lower among women with exclusively female sexual partners compared with women with male partners? A retrospective study based on attendees at a Norwegian STI clinic from 2004 to 2014

“…Together, the inconsistent definition of women having sex with women and the limited research about prevalence and risk of STIs among females engaging in exclusively same-sex sexual behaviour make it difficult to draw conclusions about the risks for women of acquiring STIs from female partners. 4,11 Few studies provide quantitative information about sexual behaviour among women. Mercer et al 9 found that 4.9% of the women in a British probability survey reported same-sex sexual behaviour.…”