Date: Thu, 28 Jul 1994 11:04:32 EDT From: Sharon Jacobson ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- This information is reprinted from the Monitor, July 1994, p. 53 published by the American Psychological Association. FIRST DATA RELEASED ON LESBIAN HEALTH by Tori DeAngelis Monitor Staff Two national surveys of lesbian health reveal that lesbians are engaged in more health oriented behavior than women in general and that out of the closet lesbians are more likely to seek mental health care than those who are not. In addition, a survey of mental health providers who work with lesbians shows that those providers who work with lesbians shows that those providers greatly overestimate the kinds of psychosocial problems lesbians have, but accurately rate how social discrimination affects lesbians. The survey results were reported at APA's conference on women's health by Lena Sorensen, Ph.D, of the University of Massachusetts, Boston School of Nursing, and Judith Bradford, PhD, of Virginia Commonwealth University's Center for Public Service. Sorensen reported results from the National Lesbian Health Survey, research she and colleagues at the Fenway community Health Center in Boston conducted in 198to "develop a database on a healthy lesbian ample" - something that had not previously existed. The team is still finishing its data analysis, Sorensen said. The 1,633 lesbians who answered the survey were "an incredibly health-oriented group of women," Sorensen said. Eight percent regularly used seat belts, only 20 percent smoked and 38 percent did some form of aerobic exercise three or mortimes a week -- all favorable comparison to women in general, the tam found. Alcohol use was the one area in which lesbians fared worse than women in general.. They survey found that lesbians drink slightly more on average than women in general. However, "it's hard to make that comparison because of differences in the ways" different surveys define light, moderate, and heavy drinking, Sorensen said. In addition, lesbians were highly likely to attend Alcoholics Anonymous, the team found. For instance, of 15.1 percent of lesbians who self-identified as alcoholics, 70 percent had been to AA and 29 percent of the entire sample" went to AA whether they drank of not, or were identified as alcoholic or not," Sorensen said. LESBIANS' MENTAL HEALTH Bradford reported results from a similar survey she and colleagues conducted in1984 and 1985 of 1, 925 lesbians from 50 states. Bradford's team collected its data "to develop a national research agenda that could impact national policy and lead to improved health and mental health services for lesbians". Bradford said. The survey was sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Health Foundation. They survey found "pervasive use of professional mental health services among respondents'" Bradford said. Nearly three quarters had sought help from a mental health professional at some point, and 40 percent were in counseling at the time of the survey, she said. While the respondents reported that they lacked generally lacked confidence in the health and mental health systems, they also reported that mental health-carservices were beneficial to them, Bradford said. The survey also showed that "the more 'out' folks were, the more likely they were to be receiving counseling services," Bradford said. Those in counseling were also more likely to be depressed, worried, anxious, have past histories ofsexual abuse and higher incomes than those who weren't, she said. In addition,those in counseling "were less afraid to be gay and more likely to be living alone" than those not in counseling, she said. PSYCHOLOGISTS' BELIEFS In a related survey of 500 licensed mental health providers in Virginia whose client population was on average 13 percent lesbian, Bradford is finding that the survey group " has a pretty good grasp of what social discrimination does ta lesbian population, but dramatically overrates the clinical issues." The respondents correctly cited self-esteem, self-acceptance, increased independence and increased empowerment as positive mental health aspects of being lesbian. They also accurately listed discrimination and denial or discomfort with one's role as a lesbian as negative aspects. But "a very large percentage" said they believe lesbians experience physical abuse, sexual abuse and suicidal ideation five times more often than heterosexual women, and that lesbian are 20 times more likely to be constantly afraid then heterosexual women-- all greatly out of proportion to reality, Bradford said. The sexual abuse projections "are some old mythologies" that keep mental healthproviders from "fully appreciating the health of this population," she noted. The team plans to "wrap up our current efforts by doing focus groups with lesbians in our state, to explore with them counseling issues, and to find out how therapists deal with their problems." Bradford said. The team will then "draw conclusions between the two data sets, she said. ************************************************************************ Honesty is more than just not being dishonest. It is an active choice to be responsible for the choices we make before we act upon them so that we can stand up for them and not be tempted to be dishonest. ************************************************************************* Sharon Jacobson The University of Georgia The University of Georgia Dept of Recreation and Leisure Studies University Affiliated Program Hardman Hall Family Science Center II 706-542-5064 706-542-3457 706-542-7917 (fax) 706-542-4815 (fax) Home number 706-354-0559 ************************************************************************