The overarching aim of this study was to explore demographic variables and their association with a woman's disclosure of sexual orientation to a health care provider (HCP). This descriptive correlation study used a convenience sample of 96 women recruited at gay and lesbian community events held in Delaware. A self-report survey of 35 questions was used to obtain the data. None of the women identified themselves as exclusively heterosexual. The results indicate that a woman's self-identified sexual orientation is significant in predicting whether she has shared her orientation with her HCP. The more a woman's self-reported orientation moves toward the heterosexual end of the preference scale, the less likely she is to share her orientation with her HCP. Culturally competent care and a nondiscriminatory atmosphere will provide this population with the trust needed to enable open rapport with their HCPs.
Barbara, A.M., Quandt, S.A., & Anderson, R.T. (2001). Experiences of lesbians in the health care environment. Women & Health, 34(1), 45-62.
2.
Bergeron, S., & Senn, C.Y. (2003). Health care utilization in a sample of Canadian lesbian women: Predictors of risk and resilience. Women & Health, 39(4), 19-35.
3.
Bonvicini, K.A., & Perlin, M.J. (2003). The same but different: Clinician-patient communication with gay and lesbian patients. Patient Education and Counseling , 51, 115-123.
4.
Bowen, D.J., Bradford, J.B., Powers, D., McMorrow, P., Linde, R., Murphy, B.C., et al. (2004). Comparing women of differing sexual orientations using population-based sampling. Women & Health, 40(3), 19-34.
5.
Cant, B. (2006). Out for the counting. Diversity in Health and Social Care, 3(3), 161-162.
6.
Clark, M.E., Landers, S., Linde, R., & Sperber, J. (2001). The GLBT Health Access Project: A state-funded effort to improve access to care. American Journal of Public Health, 91(6), 895-896.
7.
Cochran, S.D., Mays, V.M.Bowen, D., Gage, S., Bybee, D., Roberts, S.J., et al. (2001). Cancer-related risk indicators and preventive screening behaviors among lesbians and bisexual women. American Journal of Public Health, 91(4), 591-597.
8.
Daley, A. (2003). Lesbian health and the assumption of heterosexuality: An organizational perspective. Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 22(2), 105-21.
9.
Dean, L., Meyer, I.J., Robinson, K., Sell, R.L., Sember, R., Silenzio, V.M.B., et al. (2000). Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health: Findings and concerns. Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, 4(3), 101-151.
10.
Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition (2002). 2002 Lesbian Health Survey: Taking care of Ourselves: Lesbian Outreach Program . Retrieved January 21, 2007, from http://debreastcancer.org/programs_frame.htm
11.
Diamant, A.L., Schuster, M.A., & Lever, J. (2000). Receipt of preventive health care services by lesbians. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 19(3), 141-148.
12.
Diamant, A.L., Wold, C., Spritzer, K., & Gelberg, L. (2000). Health behaviors, health status, and access to and use of health care. Archives of Family Medicine, 9, 1043-1051.
13.
Dibble, S.L., Roberts, S.A., & Nussey, B. (2004). Comparing breast cancer risk between lesbians and their heterosexual sisters. Women's Health Issues, 14, 60-68.
14.
Fogel, S.C. (2001). Predictors of disclosure of sexual identity to healthcare providers (Doctoral dissertation, Vanderbilt University, 2001). Publication Number: AAT 3038802.
15.
Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (n.d.). Creating a safe clinical environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) patients. Retrieved January 26, 2007, from http://www.glma.org/medical/clinical/lgbti_clinical_guidelines.pdf
16.
Giddings, L.S. (2005). Health disparities, social injustice, and the culture of nursing. Nursing Research, 54(5), 304-312.
17.
Greco, J.A., & Glusman, J.B. (1998). Providing effective care for gay and lesbian patients . Patient Care, 32(12), 15, 159-173.
18.
Klitzman, R., & Greenberg, J.D. (2002). Patterns of communication between gay and lesbian patients and their healthcare providers. Journal of Homosexuality, 42(4), 65-75).
19.
Mathieson, C.M., Bailey, N., & Gurevich, M. (2002). Health care services for lesbian and bisexual women: SomeCanadian data. Health Care for Women International , 23(2), 185-196.
20.
Mautner Project (2005). Removing the barriers. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from http://www.mautnerproject.org/prograns_and_services/RTB/index.html
21.
McDonald, C. (2006). Lesbian disclosure: Disrupting the taken for granted . Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 38(1), 42-57.
22.
McDonald, C., McIntyre, M., & Anderson, B. (2003). The view from somewhere: Locating lesbian experience in women's health. Health Care for Women International, 28(4), 697-711.
23.
McNair, R.P. (2003). Lesbian health inequalities: A cultural minority issue for health professionals. Medical Journal of Australia , 178(12), 643-645.
24.
National Women's Health Information Center. ( 2005). Lesbian health: frequently asked questions. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from www.WomensHealth.gov
25.
O'Hanlan, K.A., Dibble, S.L., Hagan, H.J., & Davids, R. (2004). Advocacy for women's health should include lesbian health. Women's Health, 13(2), 227-234.
26.
Potter, J.E. (2002). Do ask, do tell. Annals of Internal Medicine, 137(5), 341-343.
27.
Purnell, L. (Ed.). (2003, March-August). Cultural diversity of older Americans: An independent home study course for individual continuing education (Vol. 2003). LaCrosse, WI: Section on Geriatrics, American Physical Therapy Association.
28.
Rankow, E. & Tessaro. I. (1998). Mammography and risk factors for breast cancer in lesbian and bisexual women. American Journal of Health Behavior, 22(6), 403-410.
29.
Reynolds, C. (2004). Still a hidden market. American Demographics, 26(3), 13.
30.
Roberts, S.J., Patsdaughter, C.A., Grindel, C.G., & Tarmina, M.S. (2004). Health related behaviors and cancer screening of lesbians: Results of the Boston Lesbian Health Project II. Women & Health, 39(4), 41-55.
31.
Robertson, P.A. (2003). Offering high-quality ob/gyn care for lesbian patients. Contemporary OB/GYN, 48, 49-56. Retrieved January 21, 2007, from http://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/obgyn/
32.
Saulnier, C.F. (2002). Deciding who to see: Lesbians discuss their preferences in health and mental health care providers. Social Work, 47(4), 355-365.
33.
Simmons, T., & O'Connell, M. (2003, February). Married-couple and unmarried-partner households: 2000 (Census 2000 Special Reports). Retrieved March 24, 2008, from http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/censr-5.pdf
34.
Spinks, V.S., Andrews, J., & Boyle, J.S. (2000). Providing health care for lesbian clients. Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 11(2), 137-143.
35.
Valanis, B.G., Bowen, D.J., Bassford, T., Whitlock, E., Charney, P., & Carter, R.A. (2000). Sexual orientation and health. Archives of Family Medicine, 9, 843-853.
36.
van Dam, M.A., Koh, A.S., & Dibble, S.L. (2001). Lesbian disclosure to health care providers and delay of care. Journal of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association , 5(1), 11-19.
