Table 2.
Characteristics of the target population by sexual identity.
| Sexual identity | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | Gay/lesbian | Bisexual | “Something else” | |
| Age—mean (SD) | 40.9 (13.5) | 39.6 (13.2) | 31.9 (12.2) | 34.7 (14.2) |
| Female | 50.8 | 45.8 | 71.7 | 56.8 |
| Race/ethnic identity | ||||
| White | 61.7 | 63.1 | 66.3 | 56.0 |
| Black | 12.1 | 12.8 | 10.7 | 15.5 |
| Hispanic | 17.6 | 16.9 | 15.4 | 16.7 |
| Asian | 6.1 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.8 |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| Multiracial | 1.6 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 6.1 |
| DK | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| Region of residence | ||||
| Northeast | 17.2 | 18.0 | 15.9 | 19.2 |
| North Central/Midwest | 22.5 | 18.7 | 23.7 | 20.3 |
| South | 36.6 | 36.3 | 32.4 | 30.3 |
| West | 23.7 | 27.0 | 28.0 | 30.2 |
| Immigrant status | ||||
| U.S. born | 80.1 | 89.0 | 89.0 | 85.7 |
| In US 15+ y | 12.3 | 7.1 | 5.5 | 8.5 |
| In US 0-14 y | 7.3 | 3.8 | 5.5 | 5.1 |
| DK | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| Language of interview | ||||
| English | 93.2 | 97.2 | 96.7 | 95.7 |
| Others | 6.8 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| Marital status | ||||
| Married | 53.7 | 23.1 | 21.0 | 18.2 |
| Previously married | 15.1 | 9.8 | 15.1 | 14.2 |
| Never married | 31.0 | 66.8 | 63.4 | 67.5 |
| DK | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Children at home | ||||
| No children | 54.5 | 86.5 | 73.6 | 82.3 |
| One child | 18.5 | 7.3 | 14.3 | 7.2 |
| Two or more | 27.1 | 6.2 | 12.1 | 10.6 |
| Educational attainment | ||||
| Less than high school | 14.2 | 8.8 | 15.4 | 15.5 |
| High school | 21.1 | 15.7 | 19.5 | 18.2 |
| Some college | 20.1 | 21.3 | 27.5 | 27.3 |
| Associate degree | 11.8 | 11.4 | 9.4 | 12.4 |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.2 | 25.5 | 18.6 | 19.8 |
| Master's degree or higher | 11.3 | 17.0 | 9.5 | 6.9 |
| DK | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Household income | ||||
| $0-34,999 | 24.8 | 29.7 | 42.4 | 42.0 |
| $35,000-74,999 | 27.3 | 26.6 | 25.4 | 29.3 |
| $75,000-99,999 | 12.3 | 11.6 | 8.8 | 8.1 |
| $100,000+ | 28.1 | 27.4 | 18.5 | 11.9 |
| DK | 7.5 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 8.7 |
| Home ownership | ||||
| Owns | 62.5 | 52.4 | 38.8 | 41.2 |
| Rents | 35.2 | 45.2 | 56.3 | 53.8 |
| Others | 2.3 | 2.4 | 4.9 | 5.0 |
| Employment status | ||||
| Employed | 73.2 | 75.1 | 67.0 | 64.1 |
| Not employed | 26.7 | 24.9 | 33.0 | 35.9 |
| DK | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Smoking status | ||||
| Never | 65.0 | 55.9 | 59.0 | 60.6 |
| Former | 18.0 | 21.2 | 18.1 | 15.0 |
| Current | 16.9 | 22.7 | 22.9 | 24.4 |
| DK | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| BMI | ||||
| <18.5 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
| 18.5-24.9 | 33.0 | 35.7 | 34.8 | 41.5 |
| 25-29.9 | 33.0 | 29.6 | 25.1 | 27.0 |
| 30-34.9 | 17.5 | 16.6 | 17.0 | 14.8 |
| 35-39.9 | 7.3 | 7.9 | 9.3 | 5.2 |
| ≥40 | 4.9 | 6.5 | 9.8 | 7.3 |
| DK | 2.6 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.0 |
| Alcohol use | ||||
| Never | 18.9 | 10.6 | 16.7 | 18.7 |
| Former | 11.2 | 9.7 | 6.1 | 12.4 |
| Moderate | 39.9 | 40.6 | 31.9 | 33.9 |
| Excessive | 29.2 | 38.4 | 45.2 | 34.6 |
| DK | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Physical activity | ||||
| Adequate activity | 51.4 | 54.1 | 53.9 | 52.6 |
| Low, inadequate activity | 45.4 | 42.7 | 43.6 | 44.0 |
| DK | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 3.3 |
| Sleep duration | ||||
| Normal (7-8 h) | 59.9 | 58.9 | 51.0 | 46.2 |
| Short (<7 h) | 33.4 | 33.7 | 38.8 | 42.4 |
| Long (>8 h) | 6.2 | 6.7 | 9.9 | 10.9 |
| DK | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Satisfaction with health care, past 12 mo | ||||
| Very satisfied | 56.8 | 58.6 | 50.7 | 42.8 |
| Somewhat satisfied | 24.6 | 25.1 | 28.9 | 27.4 |
| Very/somewhat dissatisfied | 5.3 | 5.5 | 8.0 | 8.4 |
| Had no care in prior 12 mo | 13.2 | 10.8 | 12.1 | 21.1 |
| DK | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Where usually gets care when sick | ||||
| Doctor's office | 59.2 | 61.1 | 46.9 | 43.2 |
| Clinic/health center | 20.6 | 18.3 | 24.7 | 26.3 |
| Hospital | 2.2 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 2.7 |
| Others/has no usual place | 17.9 | 17.5 | 24.2 | 27.8 |
| DK | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Psychological distress | ||||
| Low | 78.3 | 68.7 | 51.1 | 42.3 |
| Moderate | 17.6 | 24.6 | 36.5 | 42.8 |
| Severe | 3.5 | 6.2 | 12.2 | 14.1 |
| DK | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.8 |
NHIS 2013 to 2018, U.S. adults age 18 to 64 years. N = 134,347 includes all adults who have at least one nonmissing pain outcome. The numbers are percentage of total within each group for all variables except for age where means and SDs are shown. “Something else” was the actual verbatim terminology used on the NHIS; it captures other non–heterosexual-identified adults. More information about the design of the sexual identity question is available elsewhere.52 All variables differ significantly across the 4 groups (P < 0.001) except low physical activity, which is statistically comparable across the groups.
BMI, body mass index; DK, don't know, refused, or was not ascertained; NHIS, National Health Interview Survey.