Marseille 2007
Marseille 2007
Abstract book
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Abstract #31  -  Health and well-being of non-heterosexual men and women in Australia: A report from the Private Lives Survey
Session:
  31.5: Quality of Life (Parallel) on Tuesday @ 11.00-12.30 in HC Chaired by Adinani Amidu, Wendee Wechsberg
Authors:
  Presenting Author:   Prof Marian Pitts - Latrobe University, Australia
 
  Additional Authors:  Prof Marian Pitts, Mr Murray Couch, Mr Hunter  Mulcare, Prof Anne Mitchell,  
Aim:
To document aspects of the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and inter-sex (GLBTI) people in Australia and to explore the impact of factors such as homophobia on health and well-being.
 
Method / Issue:
An internet on-line survey of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and inter-sex people residing in Australia was conducted in 2005. Recruitment was through internet sites, email networks, media publicity and a wide distribution of promotional cards
 
Results / Comments:
In all, 5476 people between the ages of 16 and 92 completed the survey. Of the total sample 62.6% were male and 35.2% female. Trans-gender participants identifying as male comprised 0.6% (n=34) of the sample and 1.2% (n=66) were trans-gender identifying as female; 2% (n=11) were intersex participants identifying as male and 0.13% (n=7) were intersex identifying as female. Participants were asked to nominate a sexual identity: 52% identified as gay, 18% as lesbian, 10% as bisexual, 4% as queer and 6% as unsure or refused a label. General health was measured vi the SF36 and results were compared with population norms. SF-36 health scale results, using ANCOVA techniques, showed bisexual women reported lower levels of health than any other group, while bisexual men reported significantly better health than women, whether gay or bisexual. Older men reported poorer health than younger men, but older women reported better health than younger women. Participants self-rated their health and most (86.4%) reported their health as either good, very good or excellent. These data also show bisexual women reporting poorer health, and in this case gay men (rather than bisexual men) report better health than women, regardless of sexuality. Depression was assessed via the Prime MD scale. The prevalence of depressive disorders was high, with 48.6% of men and 44.4% of women scoring on at least one of the two criteria for a major depressive episode. It is of particular concern that 15.7% of all respondents indicated suicidal ideation in the prior two weeks. Of those in the sample with a regular doctor, it was more likely that that doctor was aware of the patients sexuality in the case of gay patients, rather than those identified as bisexual.
 
Discussion:
The study demonstrated considerable deficits in health and well-being of GLBTI people when compared with population norms. These deficits were particularly marked for those who identified as bisexual. Lack of recognition of sexual identity can lead to poorer health and material outcomes.
 
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