Health Reporting Heterogeneity across Sexual Identities in the U.S.: Evidence from the National Health Interview Survey

Estelle Knoblauch, Bielefeld University
Sofie Quermann , Bielefeld University
Anna Oksuzyan, Bielefeld University

Self-rated health (SRH) is a widely used measure to assess overall health. This study explores differences in reporting of general health across different sexual identity groups. We utilized the National Health Interview Survey data from waves 2013-2018 and applied generalized ordered probit models to regress SRH onto two sets of independent variables - modeling ‘underlying’ health and reporting behavior driven by sociodemographic characteristics. Our findings suggest an age pattern across straight men and women in their assessment of health: While persons of younger ages (18-49) asses their health more pessimistically, persons aged 50+ show a more optimistic reporting of their health. For gay men and lesbian women this, however, is not visible as clearly as for straight people: only lesbian women of ages 18-29 and gay men of ages 18-39 asses their health more pessimistically than our calculations of their underlying health suggest them to be. All other age groups are more optimistic. A different perspective on the original and adjusted prevalences of poor health suggests a disadvantage in health for lesbian women across all ages on both the original as well as on the adjusted scale. Gay men are in a health advantage in older ages (60-70+); however, this advantage disappears on the adjusted scale at ages 70+. These findings can contribute to research assessing health differences for people who identify as sexual minorities. Other findings using SRH might be conservative in revealing health disadvantage of sexual minorities as we find they even underreport their poor health.

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 Presented in Session 22. Gender, Sex and Health