Published October, 2014
Sexual Orientation and Health Among U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2013, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics (2014)
This paper provides national estimates for indicators of health-related behaviors, health status, health care service utilization, and health care access categorized by sexual orientation using data from the 2013 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), an annual multipurpose health survey conducted continuously throughout the year.
Analyses were based on data collected in 2013 from 34,557 adults aged 18 and over. Differences in the above listed categories were examined for adults aged 18–64, and separately for men and women. Significant differences were found in those listed categories among U.S. adults who identified as straight, gay or lesbian, or bisexual.
NHIS sexual orientation data can be used to track progress toward meeting the Healthy People 2020 goals and objectives related to the health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons. In addition, the data can be used to examine a wide range of health disparities among adults identifying as straight, gay or lesbian, or bisexual.
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