Sexual Orientation Disparities in Health across the Life Course: Preliminary Findings from the 2013 NHIS

• In Event: 343 - Section on Medical Sociology Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 24. Gender, Sexuality, and Health

Abstract

Previous research on SES suggests that health disparities widens over the adult life course between persons with lower social standing and persons with higher social standing. In this paper, I utilized newly-released data on sexual orientation from the 2013 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to conduct preliminary analysis on sexual orientation disparities in health within two age groups: younger adults (aged 18 to 39) and older adults (aged 40 to 64). Using logistic regression, I examined the associations between sexual orientation and multiple health conditions such as psychological distress, binge drinking, smoking, and sleeping problems within each age group. I found that the magnitudes of the negative effects of sexual minority status on health conditions were generally lower in the older age group than the younger age group. Yet, the 95% confidence intervals of the effects of sexual minority status on health for each age group overlapped so conclusions of statistical differences could not be made between the two age groups. Sexual orientation disparities in health existed across the life course. But, I did not find evidence of sexual orientation disparities in health widening over the life course. Because NHIS collects cross-sectional data of approximately 30,000 people each year, this survey holds promise for age, period, and cohort understandings of sexual orientation disparities in health across the adult life course.

Author

• Elbert P. Almazan, Central Michigan University