Statistics on HIV/AIDS and health-related issues

by Matt Slick | Sep 12, 2011 | LGBTG+, Secular Issues

Emotional Health
1. Homosexuals more likely to suffer from depression: “A new study in the United Kingdom has revealed that homosexuals are about 50% more likely to suffer from depression and engage in substance abuse than the rest of the population, reports Health24.com . . . the risk of suicide jumped over 200% if an individual had engaged in a homosexual lifestyle . . . the lifespan of a homosexual is on average 24 years shorter than that of a heterosexual . . . While the Health 24 article suggested that homosexuals may be pushed to substance abuse and suicide because of anti-homosexual cultural and family pressures, empirical tests have shown that there is no difference in homosexual health risk depending on the level of tolerance in a particular environment. Homosexuals in the United States and Denmark–the latter of which is acknowledged to be highly tolerant of homosexuality–both die on average in their early 50’s, or in their 40’s if AIDS is the cause of death. The average age for all residents in either country ranges from the mid-to-upper-70s.”(onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=255614)
2. Professional psychiatrists say homosexual men are less happy: “A major study by Bell and Weinberg revealed that 78% of male homo-sexual “affairs” (relationships entered into with an intent of commitment) lasted less than three years. Only 12% lasted five years or longer. Study by Alan P. Bell and Martin S. Weinberg, “Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men and Women,’ (New York, Simon and Shuster, 1978) p.314 Certainly, this shows a pattern of broken relationships that must be painful for many. 73% of the psychiatrists in the American Psychiatric Association who responded to a survey by Harold I. Lief said that they thought that homosexual men are less happy than others. 70% percent said they believed that the homosexuals’ problems were due more to personal conflicts than to social stigmatization. Study by Harold I. Lief, Sexual Survey Number 4: Current Thinking on Homosexuality, Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality 2 (1977), pp.110-111 (Cited in Growing Up Straight by George A. Reker).” (exodusglobalalliance.org/ishomosexualityhealthyp60.php)
Psychological Health
1. High rate of psychological counseling among lesbians: “In a national health care survey 75% of the nearly 2000 lesbian respondents reported they had pursued psychological counseling of some kind, many for treatment of long-term depression or sadness. J. Bradford et al., “National Lesbian Health Care Survey: Implications for Mental Health Care,” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 62 (1994): 239, cited in Health Implications Associated with Homosexuality, p. 81 . . . ” (exodusglobalalliance.org/ishomosexualityhealthyp60.php)
2. “Homosexual men are 6 times more likely to have attempted suicide than are heterosexual men. Study by Bell and Weinberg, “Homosexualities . . . ” Table 21.12″ (exodusglobalalliance.org/ishomosexualityhealthyp60.php)
Physical health
1. Domestic Violence higher among homosexuals: “‘the incidence of domestic violence among gay men is nearly double that in the heterosexual population.‘ Gwat Yong Lie and Sabrina Gentlewarrier, “Intimate Violence in Lesbian Relationships: Discussion of Survey Findings and Practice Implications,” Journal of Social Service Research 15 (1991): 41–59.” (exodusglobalalliance.org/ishomosexualityhealthyp60.php)
2. Higher Alcoholism among Lesbians: “‘Lesbians are 3 times more likely to abuse alcohol and to suffer from other compulsive behaviours. Joanne Hall, “Lesbians Recovering from Alcoholic Problems: An Ethnographic Study of Health Care Expectations,’ Nursing Research 43 (1994): 238–244.” (exodusglobalalliance.org/ishomosexualityhealthyp60.php)
3. Higher sexual molestation with homosexual parents: “A disproportionate percentage–29 percent–of the adult children of homosexual parents had been specifically subjected to sexual molestation by that homosexual parent, compared to only 0.6 percent of adult children of heterosexual parents having reported sexual relations with their parent . . . Having a homosexual parent(s) appears to increase the risk of incest with a parent by a factor of about 50.” P. Cameron and K. Cameron, “Homosexual Parents,” Adolescence 31 (1996): 772″ (exodusglobalalliance.org/ishomosexualityhealthyp60.php)
4. Breast Cancer higher among Lesbians: “Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women and is the leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States, following cancers of the skin and lung. Recent research has identified risk factors for breast cancer that may differentially affect lesbian and bisexual women, including nulliparity and higher rates of alcohol consumption and overweight, that may place this population at greater [sic] risk than heterosexual women of developing breast cancer.” (Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, glma.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.showFeature&FeatureID=319&E:ColdFusion9verityDatadummy.txt)
5. Smoking higher among Lesbians: “Tobacco use is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women in the United States, and evidence from studies with adults suggests that the prevalence of smoking may be higher among lesbian and bisexual women than among heterosexual women.” (Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, glma.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.showFeature&FeatureID=58&E:ColdFusion9verityDatadummy.txt
6. Lesbians more likely to be overweight, smoke, lack exercise, and be depressed: “Research has shown that heart disease is a leading cause of death among women and recent studies have suggested that lesbians are more likely to be overweight, smoke cigarettes, lack regular exercise, and be depressed. Although there is a common assumption that lesbians avoid dieting and exercise programs because of a belief that these programs perpetuate negative societal beliefs about the acceptable female body type, research has not supported it.” (Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, glma.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=feature.showFeature&FeatureID=320&E:ColdFusion9verityDatadummy.txt)
7. Sex of women with women at greater health risk than women with men: “For women, a history of sex with women may be a marker for increased risk of adverse sexual, reproductive, and general health outcomes compared with women who reported sex exclusively with men.” (American Journal of Public Health, ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/97/6/1126)
8. Lesbian and bisexual women more likely to have health problems than heterosexual women: “In this first population-based study of lesbian and bisexual women’s health, we found that lesbians and bisexual women were more likely than heterosexual women to have poor health behaviors and worse access to health care. These findings support our hypothesis that sexual orientation has an independent effect on health behaviors and receipt of care, and indicate the need for the increased systematic study of the relationship between sexual orientation and various aspects of health and health care.” (Archives of Family Medicine, archfami.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/9/10/1043)
9. Anal Cancer: “According to an article published in the journal Cancer in 2004, the incidence of anal cancer increased between 1973 and 2000, particularly among men. The causes of anal cancer (carcinoma of the anal canal) are not fully understood, but there is little doubt that a significant connection exists between the human papillomavirus–HPV (particularly subtypes 16 and 18)–and the occurrence of anal cancer. There is also a strong association between male homosexuality and the disease. More than 60 percent of men without HIV, and more than 90 percent of men with HIV, have human papillomavirus infection in their anal canals. Anal intercourse, whether homosexual or heterosexual, is strongly associated with HPV infection and is considered a very marked risk factor for anal carcinoma.” http://www.cancerdecisions.com/mrstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=9_3&products_id=267
Life Span
1. Gay men lifespan shorter than non-gay men: “The life expectancy for gay and bisexual men is 8 to 20 years less than for men in general. Robert S. Hogg et al., “Modeling the Impact of HIV Disease on Mortality in Gay and Bisexual Men,” International Journal of Epidemiology 26 (1997): 657.” (Exodus Global Alliance, exodusglobalalliance.org/ishomosexualityhealthyp60.php)
Risk to Population at Large
1. 25% of HIV infected in U.K. unaware of their infection: “Of the estimated 86,500 people living with HIV in the United Kingdom, about 25 percent are not aware they are infected, the Health Protection Agency said recently.” (The Body, thebody.com/content/art59714.html)