Assessment of Health Disparities and Sexual Orientation Response Choices Used in Two US National Population-Based Health Surveys, 2020‒2021

November 2024

Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study compares responses to two survey questions designed to measure sexual orientation to understand how variation in responses is associated with mental health. It appeared in the American Journal of Public Health in November 2024.

AUTHORS

Nicole F. Kahn
Assistant Professor, University of Washington
Carolyn T. Halpern
Professor, University of North Carolina
Dana R. Burshell
Research Project Manager, Carolina Population Center
Stephanie M. Hernandez
Assistant Professor, Drexel University
Kerith J. Conron
Research Director, Former

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Highlights

Add Health detected more than twice as many sexual minority respondents as the National Health Interview Survey.

NHIS respondents who identified as "mostly heterosexual" had mental health outcomes similar to sexual minorities.

Current national-level surveys may underestimate the sexual minority population and related health disparities.

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