HEALTH ISSUES OF MIDDLE AGED LESBIANS

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 1999), identifying the physical and mental health issues of lesbians in general and middle aged lesbians in particular is important because while lesbians clearly share many of the same health risks and concerns as heterosexual women, there are a number of factors that influence their health in unique ways. These unique factors include prejudice, discrimination, increased risk of abuse and violence as a result of hate crimes, tendencies not to disclose sexual orientation and lifestyle to health care providers, combined with somewhat decreased utilization and access rates, and so forth.

In an effort to provide some health issue information on middle aged lesbians, the IOM (1999) conducted a large, national survey of lesbians, analyzing results by age, economic status, and several other sociodemographic factors. It was noted that while middle-aged lesbians generally stated that they were in relatively good health, over 27 percent lacked health insurance, a higher rate than national averages.

Further, subsequent analysis indicated that lack of health insurance may be particularly prevalent among middle aged lesbians with serious health conditions such as cardiovascular problems. It was also noted that middle-aged lesbians without health insurance were more likely to report having Pap tests less frequently. They also tended to be smokers, have eating disorders, and a history of physical and