Health Behaviors and Health Care Utilization of Southern Lesbians

Austin, Erika L.; Irwin, Jay A.

doi:10.1016/j.whi.2010.01.002

Cited by 45 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Poor mental health of LGBT individuals has been associated with illicit drug use, 39 sexually transmitted infections, 40,62 tobacco use, [41][42][43] and alcohol abuse. 12 Most of these associations have been identified in LGBT adolescents, although research on sexual minority women has found reduced mental health to be associated with poor health-related quality of life, 44 lack of exercise, 12 and poor general health. 45,12 Mediational models and clinical implications A major goal of this study was to create a path model linking outness through social support and mental health to wellness behavior.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12 Most of these associations have been identified in LGBT adolescents, although research on sexual minority women has found reduced mental health to be associated with poor health-related quality of life, 44 lack of exercise, 12 and poor general health. 45,12 Mediational models and clinical implications A major goal of this study was to create a path model linking outness through social support and mental health to wellness behavior. Consistent with the hypothesis, in the first model the indirect effects of outness to family and wellness behaviors through social support from family and depression were significant.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, sexual minority women are at a heightened risk for cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, obesity, and chronic physical health problems. 2,10,12,13 Despite these disparities, only 85 National Institutes of Health-funded studies have involved sexual minority women.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…38 Among LGBT individuals, poor mental health has been associated with poor health behaviors such as illicit drug use, 39,40 tobacco use, [41][42][43] and alcohol abuse. 12 Additionally, among sexual minority women, higher depression and anxiety have been associated with poor health-related quality of life, 44 lack of exercise, 12 obesity, and poor general health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multiple Mediational Model of Outness, Social Support, Mental Health, and Wellness Behavior in Ethnically Diverse Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Women

2015

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Purpose: A growing body of research has begun to examine wellness behaviors in sexual minority women. While a number of constructs have been associated with wellness behaviors in this population, including outness, social support, and mental health, no research has attempted to forge the specific and unique connections among them. The aim of the current study was to construct a theoretical chain among these variables leading to wellness behaviors among an ethnically diverse sample of sexual minority women. Methods: A sample of 150 ethnically diverse, cisgender women identifying as lesbian, bisexual, queer, or an ''other'' non-heterosexual sexual orientation completed a web-administered national survey. Scales assessed participants' outness, social support, mental health, and wellness behaviors. Results: In a series of simultaneous, multiple regressions, outness to one's family was positively associated with wellness behavior and social support; social support from one's family and friends was positively associated with mental health; and depression was negatively associated with wellness behaviors. Two multiple mediational models generally suggested a cascading influence of outness to one's family on wellness behaviors through social support from one's family and depression. Conclusion: The study is one of the first to find potentially cascading links among personal, social, and mental health variables with health behaviors in a sample of diverse lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women. It thereby illuminates a number of potential targets for health promotion interventions in this population.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multiple Mediational Model of Outness, Social Support, Mental Health, and Wellness Behavior in Ethnically Diverse Lesbian, Bisexual, and Queer Women

2015

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“…1 The risk for substance use may be particularly heightened among sexual minority or lesbian/gay/ bisexual individuals. Across all ages, sexual minority status (SMS) has been associated with higher odds for smoking, [2][3][4][5] binge drinking and heavy alcohol consumption, [2][3][4][6][7][8] and illicit drug use. 5,[8][9][10][11] The potential pathways between sexual orientation and substance use have primarily been examined within the frameworks of social stress and minority-specific stress in particular.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk of Substance Abuse and Dependence among Young Adult Sexual Minority Groups Using a Multidimensional Measure of Sexual Orientation

Goldberg

Strutz²,

Herring

et al. 2013

Public Health Rep

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Objective. We examined associations between two definitions of sexual minority status (SMS) and substance abuse and/or dependence among young adults in a national population.Methods. A total of 14,152 respondents (7,529 women and 6,623 men) interviewed during wave four of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were included in the study (age range: 24-32 years). We used two definitions of SMS based on self-reported attraction, behavior, and identity: 1-indicator SMS (endorsing any dimension) and 3-indicator SMS (endorsing all dimensions). Outcomes included nicotine dependence as well as $3 signs of substance dependence, any sign of substance abuse, and lifetime diagnosis of abuse or dependence for alcohol, marijuana, and a composite measure of other drugs. Weighted logistic regression models were fit to estimate the odds of each outcome for each of the sexual minority groups (compared with the heterosexual majority), controlling for sociodemographic covariates.Results. SMS women were more likely than exclusively heterosexual women to experience substance abuse and dependence, regardless of substance or SMS definition. In adjusted models for women, 3-indicator SMS was most strongly associated with abuse/dependence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] range: 2.74-5.17) except for $3 signs of cannabis dependence, where 1-indicator SMS had the strongest association (AOR53.35). For men, the 1-indicator SMS group had higher odds of nicotine dependence (AOR=1.35) and the 3-indicator SMS group had higher odds of $3 signs of alcohol dependence (AOR51.64).Conclusions. Young adult female sexual minority groups, regardless of how defined, are at a higher risk than their heterosexual peers of developing alcohol, drug, or tobacco abuse and dependence.

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