Lesbians More Likely to Smoke, DrinkApril 19, 2001
Research Summary
Researchers say that lesbian women are more likely to smoke, drink and to be overweight, putting them at greater risk of health problems than other women, HealthScout reported April 17.Roughly 56 percent of lesbians are current or former smokers, compared to 36 percent of straight women, and gay women are slightly more likely than other women to drink alcohol. Furthermore, about 28 percent of lesbians are obese, compared to 19 percent of heterosexual women.
The study, reported in the April issue of the American Journal of Public Health, said that gay culture may be more accepting of lifestyle choices. Lesbians may also be less concerned about smoking and drinking because they're less likely to have children, and more tolerant of weight, said study lead author Susan Cochran, professor of epidemiology at UCLA.
Tobacco companies also advertise heavily in gay magazines, notes Kathleen DeBold, executive director of the Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer. And smoking is common in gay bars -- often the center of lesbian social life.
Cochran said lesbians have unique health needs, and that doctors should not assume that health services designed for women in general will reach this population. DeBold added that government anti-smoking ads should be directed at gay communities. "If someone said there's this group that's going to kill thousands of gay people this year, we would be absolutely up in arms," she said. "But thousands of gay people are going to die because of smoking."
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