Date: July 6, 2022
Self-Rated Health Among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Adults: Rural/Urban Differences
This study examines the intersections of sexual orientation, geographic context, and race/ethnicity and their associations with self-rated health. The Rural Health Research & Policy Centers leveraged three nationally representative and population-based datasets in this brief; the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), and the Health Information National Trends Survey.
Key Findings
- Two national datasets (NHIS and BRFSS) revealed statistically significant differences in self-rated health between rural lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) respondents and heterosexual respondents, with LGB respondents more likely to report fair or poor self-rated health.
- In multivariable models adjusting for age, sex, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, and income, LGB rural adults had lower likelihood of excellent/very good/good self-rated health, compared with heterosexual rural adults in both the NHIS and the BRFSS datasets.
- Among rural adults, there were differences in self-rated health by race and ethnicity and sexual orientation.
Contact Information:
Carrie Henning-Smith, PhD, MPH, MSW
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Phone: 612.626.4512
henn0329@umn.edu
Additional Resources of Interest:
- More information about the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
- More information from the Rural Health Information Hub’s topic guides: Rural Mental Health, Rural Health Disparities, Social Determinants of Health for Rural People