Table 1.
Age-standardized Socio-demographic Characteristics, Health Behaviors, and Health Outcomes by Sexual Orientation Identity among U.S. Men and Women, National Health Interview Survey, 2013 and 2014 (N = 69,270)
| Men (n = 30,961) | Women (n = 38,309) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heterosexual | Gay | Bisexual | “Something else”/Do not know | Heterosexual | Lesbian | Bisexual | “Something else”/Do not know | |||||||||
| n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | n | % | |
| Sample size | 29,967 | 97.2 | 624 | 1.8 | 162 | 0.4 | 208 | 0.5 | 37,185 | 97.2 | 525 | 1.4 | 353 | 0.9 | 246 | 0.5 |
| Sociodemographics | ||||||||||||||||
| Race/ethnicity | ||||||||||||||||
| White | 18,848 | 70.1 | 413 | 76.2 | 105 | 73.1 | 96 | 52.7 | 22,542 | 68.3 | 315 | 71.4 | 231 | 73.5 | 123 | 56.4 |
| Black | 3,918 | 10.7 | 79 | 9.8 | 19 | 7.6 | 34 | 14.6 | 5,699 | 12.3 | 100 | 12.7 | 61 | 16.0 | 38 | 11.0 |
| Latino/Hispanic | 4,787 | 13.0 | 96 | 10.8 | 21 | 7.8 | 43 | 19.8 | 6,086 | 12.9 | 77 | 12.5 | 43 | 7.2 | 51 | 17.5 |
| Native American | 398 | 1.0 | 5 | 0.4 | 2 | 1.1 | 5 | 1.5 | 446 | 0.9 | 9 | 1.1 | 9 | 2.6 | 7 | 1.3 |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1,873 | 5.2 | 28 | 2.8 | 15 | 10.4 | 29 | 11.4 | 2,235 | 5.6 | 18 | 2.3 | 4 | 0.7 | 25 | 13.8 |
| Educational attainment | ||||||||||||||||
| < High school | 8,832 | 29.4 | 130 | 19.9 | 28 | 18.0 | 53 | 29.0 | 10,182 | 28.2 | 116 | 22.8 | 84 | 21.0 | 69 | 25.4 |
| High school graduate | 3,831 | 11.8 | 24 | 5.8 | 14 | 6.8 | 47 | 22.7 | 4,826 | 11.1 | 31 | 3.9 | 41 | 12.7 | 65 | 25.8 |
| Some college | 8,651 | 28.5 | 197 | 33.1 | 63 | 28.9 | 44 | 24.1 | 11,776 | 31.6 | 190 | 34.9 | 122 | 37.3 | 54 | 25.6 |
| ≥ College | 8,534 | 30.3 | 273 | 41.2 | 57 | 46.3 | 58 | 24.2 | 10,242 | 29.1 | 187 | 38.4 | 106 | 29.0 | 53 | 23.2 |
| Marital status | ||||||||||||||||
| Married | 14,501 | 61.1 | 78 | 19.2 | 31 | 22.0 | 38 | 20.6 | 15,370 | 52.7 | 89 | 23.6 | 60 | 30.8 | 53 | 30.8 |
| Divorced/separated/widowed | 6,652 | 17.3 | 71 | 16.1 | 35 | 26.6 | 52 | 24.8 | 12,741 | 27.6 | 103 | 22.2 | 95 | 32.9 | 77 | 27.6 |
| Never married | 8,761 | 21.6 | 472 | 64.7 | 96 | 51.4 | 116 | 54.6 | 8,972 | 19.7 | 329 | 54.2 | 194 | 36.3 | 116 | 41.6 |
| Unemployed (yes) | 19,407 | 37.5 | 438 | 40.9 | 98 | 52.2 | 107 | 49.8 | 19,634 | 47.3 | 344 | 43.1 | 215 | 49.2 | 124 | 51.1 |
| Annual Household income (<$35,000 per year) | 10,769 | 29.3 | 229 | 31.9 | 78 | 36.0 | 120 | 43.3 | 15,607 | 34.7 | 215 | 32.7 | 192 | 45.4 | 147 | 53.7 |
| Living in poverty (<100 % Federal Poverty Level) | 4,284 | 11.1 | 79 | 10.4 | 33 | 15.2 | 70 | 29.4 | 6,885 | 14.1 | 102 | 12.3 | 105 | 23.3 | 73 | 25.9 |
| Occupation | ||||||||||||||||
| Professional/management | 6,339 | 74.0 | 191 | 75.4 | 38 | 77.9 | 26 | 74.3 | 5,213 | 73.1 | 110 | 72.9 | 53 | 70.1 | 20 | 74.4 |
| Support Services | 7,262 | 15.6 | 279 | 12.5 | 61 | 11.0 | 49 | 8.9 | 20,892 | 20.3 | 264 | 18.3 | 199 | 16.9 | 110 | 21.6 |
| Laborers | 14,578 | 10.4 | 140 | 12.1 | 53 | 11.1 | 110 | 16.8 | 7,615 | 6.6 | 120 | 8.8 | 79 | 13.0 | 68 | 4.0 |
| Region of residence | ||||||||||||||||
| Northeast | 4,797 | 18.0 | 114 | 19.6 | 24 | 16.1 | 36 | 16.3 | 6,036 | 17.7 | 103 | 22.9 | 52 | 13.8 | 35 | 16.7 |
| Midwest | 6,392 | 23.1 | 92 | 13.9 | 28 | 22.3 | 40 | 18.4 | 7,654 | 22.4 | 92 | 19.0 | 70 | 27.6 | 45 | 17.6 |
| South | 10,528 | 36.5 | 221 | 35.7 | 47 | 32.5 | 63 | 33.3 | 13,754 | 38.0 | 189 | 33.5 | 120 | 32.5 | 85 | 38.4 |
| West | 8,250 | 22.4 | 197 | 30.8 | 63 | 29.1 | 69 | 32.0 | 9,741 | 21.9 | 141 | 24.6 | 111 | 26.1 | 81 | 27.3 |
| Health behaviors | ||||||||||||||||
| Sleep duration | ||||||||||||||||
| < 7 h | 9,157 | 30.6 | 198 | 30.5 | 52 | 25.8 | 60 | 30.2 | 11,570 | 30.7 | 190 | 33.6 | 123 | 29.6 | 74 | 32.5 |
| 7 h | 8,835 | 29.7 | 190 | 30.4 | 53 | 36.4 | 61 | 32.6 | 10,062 | 28.1 | 140 | 27.4 | 86 | 32.9 | 47 | 17.4 |
| > 7 h | 11,708 | 39.7 | 232 | 39.1 | 57 | 37.8 | 80 | 37.2 | 15,155 | 41.2 | 188 | 39.0 | 139 | 37.5 | 111 | 50.1 |
| Smoking status | ||||||||||||||||
| Never | 15,919 | 52.1 | 307 | 48.1 | 87 | 50.4 | 110 | 51.8 | 24,306 | 64.8 | 265 | 50.5 | 178 | 51.7 | 164 | 73.1 |
| Former | 7,941 | 29.2 | 152 | 30.2 | 32 | 23.4 | 46 | 21.6 | 7,166 | 20.6 | 113 | 28.2 | 73 | 32.4 | 45 | 16.5 |
| Current | 6,067 | 18.7 | 164 | 21.7 | 43 | 26.2 | 51 | 26.6 | 5,666 | 14.6 | 147 | 21.3 | 102 | 15.9 | 37 | 10.4 |
| Alcohol consumption | ||||||||||||||||
| Never | 4,402 | 14.7 | 46 | 6.4 | 20 | 9.5 | 41 | 19.9 | 9,874 | 26.0 | 74 | 14.2 | 51 | 24.1 | 92 | 42.6 |
| Current | 20,545 | 69.0 | 516 | 81.1 | 126 | 80.1 | 128 | 60.0 | 21,360 | 58.7 | 381 | 67.2 | 274 | 64.7 | 115 | 41.3 |
| Former | 4,722 | 16.3 | 59 | 12.5 | 16 | 10.4 | 38 | 20.1 | 5,674 | 15.3 | 67 | 18.6 | 28 | 11.2 | 37 | 16.1 |
| Heavy drinking a | 1,761 | 6.8 | 42 | 6.5 | 15 | 12.9 | 15 | 6.1 | 1,785 | 5.7 | 41 | 9.7 | 46 | 15.6 | 18 | 6.3 |
| 5+ drinks on at least 2 days b | 7,538 | 32.2 | 188 | 29.7 | 61 | 45.0 | 43 | 30.5 | 4,357 | 17.5 | 117 | 24.1 | 107 | 31.7 | 33 | 19.1 |
| Leisure-time physical activity | ||||||||||||||||
| Never/unable | 9,010 | 30.7 | 129 | 22.1 | 41 | 25.7 | 64 | 32.8 | 12,858 | 34.3 | 158 | 32.1 | 69 | 18.1 | 89 | 31.8 |
| Low | 9,660 | 32.8 | 209 | 34.4 | 53 | 35.5 | 67 | 29.8 | 11,568 | 31.6 | 174 | 35.0 | 120 | 35.0 | 75 | 35.7 |
| High | 11,169 | 36.5 | 285 | 43.5 | 68 | 38.8 | 76 | 37.4 | 12,669 | 34.1 | 190 | 32.9 | 161 | 46.9 | 80 | 32.5 |
| Sad (past 30 days) (≥mostly) | 850 | 2.7 | 28 | 3.4 | 3 | 2.4 | 11 | 4.8 | 1,487 | 3.7 | 32 | 5.6 | 31 | 6.8 | 15 | 8.0 |
| Health outcomes | ||||||||||||||||
| Overweight prevalence c | 20,868 | 72.1 | 372 | 63.8 | 91 | 48.4 | 117 | 61.3 | 20,885 | 58.5 | 325 | 63.8 | 199 | 64.3 | 132 | 57.1 |
| Obesity prevalence d | 8,506 | 29.8 | 145 | 25.0 | 45 | 19.1 | 44 | 18.8 | 10,724 | 29.4 | 183 | 36.7 | 123 | 38.3 | 72 | 33.1 |
| Hypertension (yes) | 9,915 | 37.0 | 189 | 39.0 | 40 | 32.2 | 73 | 34.4 | 12,491 | 35.5 | 134 | 32.2 | 68 | 32.1 | 82 | 36.5 |
| Diabetes (yes) | 3,183 | 12.5 | 54 | 10.2 | 13 | 11.4 | 26 | 10.4 | 3,857 | 10.7 | 38 | 7.7 | 17 | 7.1 | 33 | 16.2 |
| Cancer (yes) | 2,471 | 10.2 | 58 | 13.4 | 10 | 12.7 | 10 | 4.2 | 3,718 | 10.8 | 46 | 11.0 | 31 | 16.0 | 13 | 4.4 |
| Heart disease (yes) | 3,543 | 13.5 | 75 | 15.2 | 18 | 16.9 | 27 | 15.6 | 3,905 | 10.8 | 44 | 9.9 | 26 | 7.2 | 27 | 11.1 |
| Stroke (yes) | 937 | 3.5 | 10 | 1.9 | 3 | 1.1 | 11 | 8.2 | 1,198 | 3.2 | 27 | 5.8 | 7 | 3.4 | 10 | 2.8 |
| Functional limitation (yes) | 9,481 | 34.8 | 181 | 35.4 | 56 | 37.7 | 95 | 52.0 | 15,472 | 43.1 | 226 | 49.6 | 147 | 46.8 | 125 | 53.2 |
| Any Injury (3 months) | 970 | 3.0 | 29 | 3.5 | 6 | 1.5 | 6 | 2.2 | 1,264 | 2.9 | 26 | 4.9 | 33 | 6.5 | 11 | 2.6 |
| Healthcare access and utilization | ||||||||||||||||
| Health insurance (no) | 5,096 | 14.0 | 96 | 12.4 | 26 | 17.8 | 52 | 24.5 | 4,982 | 12.0 | 80 | 12.0 | 69 | 11.9 | 40 | 15.4 |
| Medicaid (yes) | 2,081 | 6.1 | 47 | 7.5 | 13 | 7.6 | 35 | 14.6 | 4,490 | 9.5 | 77 | 10.9 | 59 | 18.3 | 42 | 14.5 |
| Usual place of care (yes) | 23,695 | 84.2 | 505 | 87.3 | 121 | 82.5 | 142 | 72.5 | 32,937 | 90.9 | 432 | 87.4 | 283 | 89.7 | 197 | 85.5 |
| # ER visits in past year ≥2 | 1,689 | 31.7 | 36 | 36.4 | 13 | 37.1 | 19 | 49.0 | 3,153 | 38.8 | 60 | 37.1 | 58 | 52.6 | 30 | 44.1 |
| Delayed healthcare because of cost (yes) | 2,986 | 8.2 | 99 | 10.8 | 33 | 20.5 | 31 | 12.7 | 4,288 | 10.5 | 105 | 15.6 | 86 | 13.1 | 39 | 10.8 |
| HPV vaccine (initiation, yes) | 535 | 2.0 | 31 | 4.8 | 8 | 4.5 | 5 | 3.7 | 2,756 | 8.6 | 59 | 10.1 | 85 | 18.2 | 15 | 5.0 |
| HIV testing (ever, yes) | 10,257 | 32.0 | 525 | 79.0 | 95 | 62.5 | 83 | 38.5 | 14,591 | 36.0 | 268 | 48.7 | 222 | 52.1 | 93 | 29.9 |
| Health status | ||||||||||||||||
| Excellent/very good | 17,795 | 58.2 | 397 | 62.7 | 94 | 59.2 | 95 | 41.9 | 21,130 | 57.4 | 298 | 55.1 | 199 | 47.6 | 111 | 47.5 |
| Good | 7,940 | 27.2 | 149 | 23.7 | 43 | 20.5 | 66 | 30.7 | 10,338 | 27.5 | 138 | 24.6 | 92 | 39.0 | 81 | 34.3 |
| Fair/poor | 4,223 | 14.6 | 78 | 13.6 | 25 | 20.3 | 47 | 27.4 | 5,694 | 15.1 | 89 | 20.3 | 62 | 13.4 | 51 | 18.2 |
Note. All estimates are weighted for the survey’s complex sampling design
ER emergency room; a heavy drinking= > 2 drinks per day for men and >1 drink per day for women; b 5+ drinks on at least 2 days among men and women in 2013 and 4+ drinks on at least 2 days among women in 2014 only; c Overweight = ≥25 kg/m2; d Obesity = ≥30 kg/m2; HPV human papillomavirus, HIV human immunodeficiency virus