Introduction
Inequities in social determinants of health are plausible contributors to worse health
of sexual minorities relative to heterosexuals. Sexual minorities may have higher
rates of housing, food, and financial insecurity as adults owing to adverse childhood
experiences or policies that induce social disadvantage. This study compares the prevalence
of 3 types of social determinants of health among sexual minority and heterosexual
adults.
Methods
Data were from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 2017 survey of U.S.
states that administered the optional Social Determinants of Health module and Sexual
Orientation and Gender Identity modules. In August 2019, authors estimated the odds
of food, housing, and financial insecurity among sexual minority men and women, compared
with heterosexuals.
Results
Sexual minority women and men had higher odds of housing insecurity, housing instability,
and food insecurity, but no differences were observed for perceived neighborhood safety.
Sexual minority women had higher odds of financial insecurity than their heterosexual
peers.
Conclusions
Sexual minorities have more housing and food insecurity than heterosexuals, which
may contribute to their risk for poorer health. Future research should address the
causes and consequences of these differences.
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: March 19, 2020
Identification
Copyright
© 2020 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.