Health needs of women who have sex with women: Methodological assumptions underlying conclusions should have been questioned

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7437.463-b

BMJ 2004;328:463-464 (21 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7437.463-b

Letter

Health needs of women who have sex with women

Methodological assumptions underlying conclusions should have been questioned

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—The health needs of lesbian women clearly deservemore attention. I strongly agree with Hughes and Evans's statementsabout the importance for healthcare providers to understandthat lesbianism is within the normal range of sexual behaviourand to reduce perceived and actual prejudice in medical settings.¹

However, the editorial seems to neglect some essential methodologicalproblems related to the epidemiology of lesbian health by listingconditions where lesbians are supposedly at special risk.

The Solarz report from the Institute of Medicine reviewed empiricalresearch about physical and mental health in lesbian women.²The report concludes that they are vulnerable for the consequensesof specific psychosocial pressure related to marginalisation,and that the healthcare system does not provide sufficientlyculture sensitive care for women who have sex with women. Apartfrom this, no conclusions can yet be drawn about the relativerisk or prevalence of breast cancer and other . . . [Full text of this article]

Kirsti Malterud, professor

Division for General Practice, University of Bergen, Kalfarvn 31, N-5018 Bergen, Norway kirsti.malterud@isf.uib.no

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