Are lesbians at greater risk than heterosexual women?
To date, medical and psychological research on women has failed to document what may be distinct and different health needs of lesbians. Certain behaviors may put lesbians at greater risk for diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Lesbians face all kinds of insensitivity and homophobia across the health care system in educational materials, clinic intake forms and hospital visitation policies as well as in treatment. As a result, lesbians feel less welcome and are less likely to access the health care system less. Other key factors include lesbians’ lack of health insurance due to many employers’ resistance to providing domestic partnership benefits and the growth of managed care systems that may limit lesbians’ access to lesbian-friendly providers.
