Openness between gay persons and health professionals

Abstract

A study of homosexual men and women was undertaken to ascertain what factors contribute toward being open with health professionals about one's sexual orientation and how this openness affects quality of care. Six hundred twenty-two men and women responded to a questionnaire distributed in the Gay Community News. Almost half (49%) had explicitly shared with their primary health professional that they were homosexual, another 11% assumed their health provider knew, and only 7% would not share this information with their health provider under any circumstances. Those who had shared this information were more satisfied with their primary health professional and, if male, were more likely to have been checked for venereal disease. Health professionals' attitudes towards homosexuality were an important concern of respondents; 27% felt that a previous health professional had been prejudiced towards homosexual persons.