The More Things Change: Changes in Same-Sex Cohabitors' Health from 1997-2018

• In Event: 4122 - Section on Medical Sociology Refereed Roundtables (60 min)
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 min): Table 6. The Intersection of Sexual Identity and Health

Abstract

The past two decades saw rapid changes in social attitudes and national policy regarding same-sex relationships. We examine how same-sex cohabitors’ health changed from 1997-2018 using the IPUMS-National Health Interview Surveys. Our analyses of self-rated health and psychological distress examine trends in health among same-sex cohabitors and disparities between same-sex cohabitors, different-sex cohabitors, and different-sex spouses. We find that self-rated health did not significantly change over time for same-sex cohabitors, partly because policies suppressed increased risk of poor-to-fair health. Psychological distress increased over time for same-sex cohabitors and was not mitigated by policy changes. Our results also show that several previously known patterns in health disparities increased from 1997-2018. The risk of poor-to-fair self-rated health increased for same-sex cohabiting women relative to their different-sex married and cohabiting counterparts. The risk of moderate-to-severe psychological distress increased for both same-sex cohabiting men and women relative to their different-sex married counterparts. The risk of poor-to-fair self-rated health for same-sex cohabiting men decreased over time relative to different-sex spouses and cohabitors. These results illuminate the importance of changes over time and social policy in the health of sexual minorities.

Authors

• Russell Leroy Spiker, Oak Ridge Associated Universities

• Rin Reczek, Ohio State University