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State-level climate, anti-discrimination law, and sexual minority health status: An ecological study

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  • Solazzo, Alexa
  • Brown, Tony N.
  • Gorman, Bridget K.

Abstract

How social and legal climate influence LGB health is an under-studied topic. In response, this study examines whether the lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) climate index and presence of anti-discrimination law show population health significance for U.S. sexual minorities. The LGB climate index uses survey data collected between 2012 and 2013 to gauge states' support of lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals, whereas anti-discrimination law captures any state-level law that makes it illegal to discriminate because of sexual orientation in employment, housing, and public accommodations. We merge these two contextual measures with 2011–2015 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) aggregated, individual-level survey data, from which we generate three measures of state-level rates: excellent self-rated health, routine health care utilization, and health insurance among self-identified lesbian/gay and bisexual adults. We find that the LGB climate index associates positively with rates of excellent self-rated health, routine health care utilization, and health insurance—but only for states with anti-discrimination laws, and only among lesbian/gay adults. Analyses confirm salubrious synergism between a sexually-minority-friendly climate and anti-discrimination law—together these two contextual measures interact to protect lesbian/gay population health.

Suggested Citation

  • Solazzo, Alexa & Brown, Tony N. & Gorman, Bridget K., 2018. "State-level climate, anti-discrimination law, and sexual minority health status: An ecological study," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 158-165.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:196:y:2018:i:c:p:158-165
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.11.033
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    2. Gilbert Gonzales & Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, 2018. "The Association between State Policy Environments and Self-Rated Health Disparities for Sexual Minorities in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-11, June.
    3. Perales, Francisco & Todd, Abram, 2018. "Structural stigma and the health and wellbeing of Australian LGB populations: Exploiting geographic variation in the results of the 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 190-199.
    4. Fox, Samara D. & Griffin, Randi H. & Pachankis, John E., 2020. "Minority stress, social integration, and the mental health needs of LGBTQ asylum seekers in North America," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    5. Sunday Azagba & Lingpeng Shan & Keely Latham, 2019. "Overweight and Obesity among Sexual Minority Adults in the United States," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-9, May.

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