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Views on Sexual and Reproductive Wellness
A log of peer-reviewed research
Approximately three-quarters of lesbians who taken care of immediately a mag study experienced sexual activity with guys, and almost two-thirds have experienced unprotected intercourse that is heterosexual. One-sixth of participants have ever endured anal sex having a male partner, in addition to exact same percentage have ever endured a std (STD). Researchers analyzing the study outcomes explain that clinicians should become aware of the requirement to just take a complete history that is sexual of lesbian clients, so possibilities to refer ladies for needed Pap smears or STD assessment will never be missed. 1
The data result from reactions up to a questionnaire that is 186-item had been included being an insert when you look at the March 1995 dilemma of The Advocate, a nationwide newsmagazine for homosexual, lesbian and bisexual both women and men. The test of 6,935 self-identified lesbians whom came back the questionnaire taken care of immediately things asking about their experience that is sexual with and about their reputation for STD evaluation and diagnosis. Participants were additionally asked to offer home elevators their social and demographic traits, including competition or ethnicity, age, yearly income, academic attainment and population measurements of their community. Scientists performed multivariate logistic regression analyses (because of the variables that proved significant in bivariate analyses) to ascertain which facets separately impacted ladies’ possibility of ever having had vaginal sex, of experiencing had sexual activity with no condom as well as having had a male sexual partner within the past year.
Most of the women had been white (88%), were aged 25-49 (85%) together with finished from university (63%). 70 % reported an income that is annual of than $20,000, and 35% lived in cities of greater than a million individuals.
Six % regarding the sample had had sex with a male partner into the year that is past. Some 77% had ever endured a male partner that is sexual and 71% had had penile-vaginal sex; whilst the first of these proportions diverse notably because of the respondent’s race, age, training and community size, the second diverse significantly by all five traits under research. The percentage ever having had sex without a condom–64%–also varied dramatically by each characteristic, with the exception of community size. One-sixth of this females (17%) had ever endured anal sex, and the same percentage (16%) had ever done this with out a condom; the percentage ever having had anal sex differed somewhat by the respondent’s age, education and community size, together with proportion ever having had unprotected rectal intercourse diverse by these same three traits, plus earnings.
Overall, 17% regarding the sample had had an STD; this percentage ended up being notably greater among lesbians whom had ever endured heterosexual intercourse than the type of that has not (21% vs. 7%). Likewise, the proportion screening positive for the STD ended up being considerably greater the type of that has had intercourse that is anal31%) than those types of without such experience (14%).
Although the general proportion whom had ever endured an abnormal Pap smear had been 17%, it rose to 20% among lesbians whom had ever endured penile-vaginal sex and also to 26% the type of who had ever endured rectal intercourse. Once more, the proportions had been somewhat reduced among lesbians who’d perhaps not took part in these activities (10% and 16%, respectively).
Prices of HIV screening had been greater when you look at the subgroups of lesbians that has experienced anal (63%) or genital (58%) sexual intercourse compared to the sample that is overall53%). However, the type of that has involved with unprotected anal or genital intercourse, two-fifths had never really had an HIV test.
The variables that independently raised lesbians’ likelihood of having had a male sexual partner within the past year were young age, low income, nonwhite race and not having graduated from college in the multivariate analyses. As an example, participants more youthful than 25 had been 6.7 times because likely as those avove the age of 50 to have experienced a male partner in past times 12 months; lesbians with a yearly earnings of significantly less than $20,000 were 1.5 times since likely as people who made significantly more than $50,000 to possess done this; nonwhites had been 1.4 times because likely as whites to have experienced a recent male partner; and non-college graduates were additionally 1.4 times since likely as graduates of an expert school to experienced a male sexual partner within the year that is past.
Advocate visitors that has not finished from university were a lot more likely compared to those having a postgraduate level to have ever endured heterosexual intercourse (chances ratio, 1.5). Lesbians more youthful than 50 had been much less likely than older ladies to own done so (0.4-0.7); participants whom lived either in rural areas or perhaps in towns of less than one million inhabitants additionally had a lower life expectancy possibility of having had sex that is heterosexual0.8).
Among participants with a brief history of vaginal sex, females more youthful than 25 had been considerably more unlikely than those over the age of 50 to possess ever had heterosexual sexual intercourse without a condom (odds ratio, 0.2); those aged 25-50 additionally had paid down likelihood of having had unprotected vaginal sexual intercourse (0.5). Participants that has maybe perhaps not finished from university had somewhat elevated likelihood of having had intercourse that is penile-vaginal a condom (1.6). This analysis additionally took into consideration the sheer number of male lovers a female had had, as well as the answers are dramaticpared with respondents that has had sex with just one guy, those that had had 2-5 male lovers had been 2.3 times as most likely, and the ones that has had six or higher male lovers were 11.2 times as most most likely, to have experienced unprotected penile-vaginal intercourse.
The scientists affirm that because the research would not make use of likelihood sampling, its generalizability to any or all U.S. Lesbians is bound. Just exactly What is more, they acknowledge that participants to intercourse studies have a tendency to hold more liberal attitudes that are sexual be much more intimately active compared to those who choose never to react; this test of magazine readers had been additionally fairly affluent and well educated. In line with the scientists, but, the approach that is magazine-insert on previous efforts to see degrees of sexual intercourse among U.S. Lesbians, as it had been a broad-based media solicitation that reached a lot of lesbians in every 50 states.
The data expose that significant proportions of lesbians have actually involved in sexual intercourse with men, which puts them at an increased risk for a selection of STDs as well as cervical cancer. Consequently, the researchers assert that when clinicians immediately assume that lesbians have experienced no intimate connection with males, these medical researchers might miss possibilities to give appropriate advice or suggestions to clients within their care. They conclude that “it is very important for the clinician to learn a client’s complete medical and history that is social including present and previous sexual intercourse, which will make appropriate decisions concerning the supply of appropriate medical care. “–L. Remez
GUIDE
1. Diamant AL et al., Lesbians’ intimate history with men: implications to take a history that is sexual Archives of Internal Medicine, 1999, 159(22): 2730-2736.
