Lesbians and cancer: an overlooked health disparity

Brown, Jessica; Tracy, J. Kathleen

doi:10.1007/s10552-008-9176-z

Cited by 153 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…However, researchers are increasingly recognizing that breast cancer affects all women, regardless of sexual orientation or marital or partnership status. Compared to heterosexual women, sexual minority women, defined as self-identified lesbian and bisexual women and those who prefer female partners [16], may have greater breast cancer risk factors [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31], incidence [32], and mortality [33]. Thus, the exclusive focus of most breast cancer survivorship and caregiving research on heterosexual women and dyads carries important implications for the generalizability and translational utility of research findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recruitment of breast cancer survivors and their caregivers: implications for dyad research and practice

Bazzi

Clark

Winter

et al. 2016

Translational Behavioral Medicine

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Breast cancer survivors' informal caregivers experience adverse health outcomes and could benefit from interventions. Studies of caregivers' participation in research, to date, have assumed heterosexuality. The aim of this study is to identify factors associated with caregiver participation among survivors with diversity in sexual orientation. We recruited breast cancer survivors into a telephone survey and asked them to invite a caregiver. Logistic regression identified factors associated with caregivers' participation. Among 297 survivors, 12 (4 %) had no caregivers, 82 (28 %) refused to provide caregiver information, 203 (68 %) provided caregiver contact, and 167 (56 %) had caregivers participate. Caregiver participation was more likely among sexual minority than heterosexual survivors (aOR: 1.89; 95 % CI: 1.08, 3.32), dyads with higher cohesion, and among caregivers who were partners. Caregiver participation was less likely among survivors with lower education and higher comorbidity. Findings provide insight into recruitment of diverse dyads into cancer survivorship research that will ultimately inform intervention design.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recruitment of breast cancer survivors and their caregivers: implications for dyad research and practice

Bazzi

Clark

Winter

et al. 2016

Translational Behavioral Medicine

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“…A review of the scientific literature revealed a paucity of research related to any aspect of cervical cancer in lesbians. 49 A single study has provided some evidence that lesbians perceive themselves to be less susceptible to cervical cancer than heterosexual women, 50 although this finding has not been empirically confirmed. Other factors have been proposed as potential barriers to routine cervical cancer screening in lesbians.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening Among Lesbians

Tracy

Lydecker

Ireland

2010

Journal of Women's Health

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105

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Objective: To evaluate cervical cancer screening practices and barriers to screening in a sample of lesbians. Methods: Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 225 self-identified lesbians who completed an online questionnaire. Results: Of the respondents, 71% reported receiving a Pap screening test in the past 24 months (routine screeners), and 29% reported receiving a Pap screening test >24 months ago or never (nonroutine screeners). Routine screeners were more likely to be older ( p < 0.01), white ( p ¼ 0.04), and college graduates ( p < 0.01) than nonroutine screeners. Nonroutine screeners were more likely to delay seeking healthcare because of fear of discrimination ( p < 0.01) and were less likely than routine screeners to disclose orientation to their primary care physician ( p < 0.01). After adjusting for age, race, and education, nonroutine screeners perceived fewer benefits from ( p < 0.01) and more barriers ( p < 0.01) to Pap screening tests and were less knowledgeable about screening guidelines ( p < 0.01) than routine screeners, but there was no difference in perceived susceptibility ( p ¼ 0.68), perceived seriousness ( p ¼ 0.68), or risk factor knowledge ( p ¼ 0.35) of cervical cancer. Conclusions: Many lesbians do not screen for cervical cancer at recommended rates. Nonroutine screeners perceive fewer benefits, more barriers, and more discrimination and are less knowledgeable about screening guidelines than routine screeners.

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“…Findings on medical breast cancer screening have been mixed, as observed in a recent review of health disparities among lesbians with cancer (Brown & Tracy, 2008). Whereas some studies found that lesbians were less likely than heterosexual women to have had a recent mammogram (e.g., Cochran et al, 2001) or clinical breast exam (Diamant, Wold, Spritzer, & Gelberg, 2000), another found lesbians were more likely to have had a recent mammogram (Aaron et al, 2001).…”

Section: Sexual Minority Women and Breast Cancer Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Does That Make Me A Woman?”

Rubin

Tanenbaum

2011

Psychology of Women Quarterly

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Feminist scholars and activists writing about breast cancer care among women have highlighted the sexist and heterosexist assumptions often embedded in the medical management of breast cancer, and of mastectomy in particular. Despite these contributions, and some speculation that sexual minority women may be less interested in breast reconstruction, limited research explores sexual minority women's lived experience of mastectomy and decision making about reconstruction. Thirteen lesbian and/or bisexual women who had undergone mastectomy for treatment of breast cancer participated in individual qualitative interviews exploring decisions to have, or not have, breast reconstruction. Reasons for/against reconstruction reflected themes identified in prior studies among heterosexual women. Although participants described sexual, gender, and political identities and orientations as influences on their decision making, for most participants, experiences with physicians who encouraged reconstruction and concerns about stigmatization of illness in romantic, professional, and social contexts were also central. Findings are interpreted through feminist dis/ability, medicalization, and existential frameworks.

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Lesbians and cancer: an overlooked health disparity

Cited by 153 publications

References 69 publications

Recruitment of breast cancer survivors and their caregivers: implications for dyad research and practice

Recruitment of breast cancer survivors and their caregivers: implications for dyad research and practice

Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening Among Lesbians

“Does That Make Me A Woman?”

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