Sexual preference affects healthcare

OTTAWA, March 19 (UPI) -- Gay men are more apt to consult a doctor than heterosexual men, but lesbian women are less likely to see a doctor than heterosexual women, a study found.

The study, published by Statistics Canada, found healthcare services differ depending on self-identified sexual preference of gay, lesbian or bisexual independent of other factors such as age, income, education and health status.

The study used 2003 and 2005 data from the Canadian Community Health Survey for adults ages 18 to 59.

An estimated 346,000 adults identified themselves as gay, lesbian or bisexual in the survey, or 1.9 percent of the total population ages 18 to 59 -- 130,000 were gay men, 59,000 bisexual men, 71,000 lesbians, and 85,000 bisexual women.

About 29 percent of gay men consulted a medical specialist in the 12 months prior to the survey, compared with 19 percent of heterosexual men, while 8 percent of gay men consulted a psychologist, compared to 3 percent of heterosexual men.

Seventy-seven percent of lesbians had seen a family doctor in the 12 months before the survey, compared with 83 percent of heterosexual women.

An estimated 65 percent of gay men and 63 percent of lesbians reported their health as excellent or very good -- almost identical to heterosexuals.