Sexuality is a complex concept that can be measured based on various aspects. Depending on the variable of interest, investigators may wish to focus on sexual behavior (activity), sexual orientation (attraction to a particular gender), or sexual identity (self-identification with a particular group of people). Further complicating the process is the fact that these aspects of sexuality are not always congruent with one another. Lesbian, gay, and bisexuals (LGB) are sexual minorities that have been identified as one of several groups that experience health disparities. For researchers working with the LGB population, properly identifying and defining which aspect of sexuality is of interest to the investigator is paramount in obtaining accurate outcomes.
American College Health Association . (2005). National College Health Assessment. Baltimore: Author .
2.
Case, P. , Austin, S. B. , Hunter, D. J. , Manson, J. E. , Malspeis, S. , Willett, W. C. , et al. (2004). Sexual orientation, health risk factors, and physical functioning in the Nurses’ Health Study II . Journal of Women’s Health (Larchmont), 13, 1033-1047 .
3.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . (1995). Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavioral Survey. Atlanta, GA: Author .
4.
Cox, S. , & Gallois, C. (1996). Gay and lesbian identity development: A social identity perspective . Journal of Homosexuality, 30, 1-30 .
5.
Gibson, P. (1989). US Department of Health and Human Services. Report of the Secretary’s Task Force on Youth Suicide: Prevention and interventions in youth suicide. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
6.
Gruskin, E. P. , Hart, S. , Gordon, N. , & Ackerson, L. (2001). Patterns of cigarette smoking and alcohol use among lesbians and bisexual women enrolled in a large health maintenance organization . American Journal of Public Health, 91, 976-979 .
7.
Harvard School of Public Health . (2006). Nurses’ Health Study II. Retrieved from http://www.channing.harvard.edu/nhs/questionnaires/index.shtml
8.
Kinsey, A. C. , Pomeroy, W. B. , & Martin, C. E. (1948). Sexual behavior in the human male. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders .
9.
Lesbian Gay and Bisexual (LGB) Youth Sexual Orientation Measurement Work Group . (2003). Measuring sexual orientation of young people in health research. San Francisco: Gay and Lesbian Medical Association .
10.
McAndrew, S. , & Warne, T. (2004). Ignoring the evidence dictating the practice: Sexual orientation, suicidality and the dichotomy of the mental health nurse . Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 11, 428-434 .
11.
McCabe, S. E. , Hughes, T. L. , & Boyd, C. J. (2004). Substance use and misuse: Are bisexual women at greater risk ? Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 36, 217-225 .
12.
Mosher, W. D. , Chandra, A. , & Jones, J. (2005). Sexual behavior and selected health measures: Men and women 15-44 years of age, United States, 2002. Advanced data from vital and health statistics (Rep. No. 362). Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics .
13.
Pan American Health Organization & World Health Organization . (2000). Promotion of sexual health: Recommendations for actions. Antigua, Guatemala: World Health Organization .
14.
Roughgarden, J. (2004). Evolution’s rainbow. Berkeley: SAGE Publications .
15.
Savin-Williams, R. C. (1998). “—And then I became gay”: Young men’s stories. New York: Routledge .
16.
Stall, R. D. , Greenwood, G. L. , Acree, M. , Paul, J. , & Coates, T. J. (1999). Cigarette smoking among gay and bisexual men . American Journal of Public Health, 89, 1875-1878 .
17.
Stolte, I. G. , & Coutinho, R. A. (2002). Risk behaviour and sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise in gay men, but what is happening with HIV ? Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases, 15, 37-41 .
18.
Tajfel, H. , & Turner, J. C. (1986). The social identity theory of inter-group behavior. In S. Worchel & L. W. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 7-24). Chicago: Nelson-Hall .
19.
Tang, H. , Greenwood, G. L. , Cowling, D. W. , Lloyd, J. C. , Roeseler, A. G. , & Bal, D. G. (2004). Cigarette smoking among lesbians, gays, and bisexuals: How serious a problem? (United States) . Cancer Causes & Control, 15, 797-803 .
20.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . (2000). Healthy People 2010: Understanding and improving health (Vol. 3, 15th ed.). Washington, DC: Government Printing Office .
21.
Yancey, A. K. , Cochran, S. D. , Corliss, H. L. , & Mays, V. M. (2003). Correlates of overweight and obesity among lesbian and bisexual women . Preventive Medicine, 36, 676-683 .
