Differences in Access to Care and Healthcare Utilization Among Sexual Minorities: A Master's Thesis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The barriers in accessing healthcare for gay, lesbian and bisexuals individuals are not well explored. These challenges as well as a lack of knowledge concerning this understudied group has prompted the Institute of Medicine to create a research agenda to build a foundational understanding of gay, lesbian and bisexual health and the barriers they encounter. the primary aim of this study will be to compare the differences in health care access and utilization between gay/lesbian, bisexual and heterosexual individuals using a large, nationally representative dataset of the U.S. population. METHODS: Data from 2001 to 2012 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was pooled. Using logistic regression, we calculated the unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios of having health insurance, having a routine place and seeing a provider at least one in the past year. RESULTS: We found that gay men were more likely to have health insurance coverage (ORadj:2.13 95%CI: 1.15,3.92), while bisexual men were at a small disadvantage in having health insurance coverage (ORadj:0.82 95%CI: 0.46,1.46). Bisexual men were more likely to have received health care in the past 12 months (ORadj:3.11 95%CI: 1.74,5.55). Lesbian women were less likely to have health insurance coverage (ORadj-lesbian:0.58 95%CI: 0.34,0.97). CONCLUSION: This study contributed to the limited knowledge on understanding the health care access and utilization among gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, which was classified as a high priority by the Institute of Medicine. Expanding health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act and Universal Partnership Coverage may reduce the disparities among gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals.