Healthy People 2010 designates sexual orientation as one of six categories in which health disparities exist, and states that some evidence suggests that lesbians have higher rates of smoking than heterosexual women (USDHHS, 2000). Despite the substantial increase in research on smoking among women during the past two decades, lesbians as a group have been largely ignored. A review of the literature found only about a dozen published studies that reported data on prevalence of smoking among lesbians. Although current rates of smoking reported in these studies vary widely - from a low of 11% among lesbians in Portland, Oregon (White & Dull, 1997), to a high of more than 40% among lesbians in Kentucky (Skinner & Otis, 1996) and in Australia (Tremallen, 1996) - taken as a whole the findings suggest that lesbians may be more likely than heterosexual women to smoke. However, it is difficult to make direct comparisons because only one study included a comparison group of heterosexual women. In this presentation we report data on smoking from the Multisite Women's Health Study, a large survey of lesbian health conducted in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and New York City. Rates of current and past smoking are examined and compared among lesbians and heterosexual women of various age, racial/ethnic, and educational groups. Common correlates of smoking such as depression, participation in physical activity, and frequency of preventive health behaviors are examined separately by sexual orientation.
Learning Objectives: N/A
Keywords: Smoking, Lesbian Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.