HIV/AIDS
Study: Many Gay Men Not Out to Their Doctors
By L.K. Regan
Published Jul 28, 2008
Published Jul 28, 2008
Here's a number the gay community shouldn't be happy about: A whopping 39 percent of gay men surveyed in New York City by the CDC in 2004 and 2005 had not disclosed their sexual orientation to their physicians, the New York Times reports. This information was the result of a study conducted by the city's Department of Mental Health and Hygiene, and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study surveyed 452 gay men interviewed in clubs and bars. The men were tested for HIV and offered medical and mental health services as needed.
The 39 percent of men who chose not to disclose their sexual orientation was actually an average—but there was a high degree of variance within that number. African-American men were the least likely to report their same-sex histories to doctors, with only 40 percent choosing to do so. Asian and Latino men were roughly evenly split, with 53 and 52 percent respectively reporting having discussed their sexual status with their doctors. White men were the most likely to bring up the topic, with 81 percent reporting a candid relationship with their physicians.
Dr. Monica Sweeney, the assistant health commissioner for HIV prevention and control, associated these variations with remaining stigmas against homosexuality in minority communities. "There is a frequent phenomenon in the black community in which a man who is gay, by the conventional ways that we all know to identify somebody as gay, identifies himself as bisexual," Dr. Sweeney said. And, the study found, none of the men who identified as bisexual reported their same-sex activities to their physicians.
The study found further correlations along lines of age and nationality. Men over the age of 28 were 17 percent more likely to have an open relationship about their sexual preference and history with their physicians. A greater degree of education and having been born in the US were also found to be predictors of being out to one's doctor.
The study's other major finding concerned the consequences of these choices. Men who disclosed their sexual activity with other men were twice as likely to be tested for HIV as their more secretive counterparts. This has major implications from a public health perspective, since encouraging men to talk more to their doctors could lead to more comprehensive HIV testing, and to more men practicing safer sex.
How to encourage men to open up to their doctors? Aside from telling men that they should not be afraid to be honest with their medical providers, Dr. Sweeney thinks much of the responsibility rests with doctors themselves. "When the doctor initiates the subject, no matter how sensitive, most people talk about these things," she said. "They're reluctant to initiate, but once you bring up highly emotional issues, patients will talk about it if you're not judgmental."
If you don't feel comfortable talking to your doctor about your sex life, you need to find a new doctor. To find a GLBT doctor, ask your gay friends for a referral or visit the GLMA (Gay & Lesbian Medical Association) web site; there you can also find a list of 10 Things Gay Men Should Discuss with their Health Care Provider to get the conversation started.
The 39 percent of men who chose not to disclose their sexual orientation was actually an average—but there was a high degree of variance within that number. African-American men were the least likely to report their same-sex histories to doctors, with only 40 percent choosing to do so. Asian and Latino men were roughly evenly split, with 53 and 52 percent respectively reporting having discussed their sexual status with their doctors. White men were the most likely to bring up the topic, with 81 percent reporting a candid relationship with their physicians.
Dr. Monica Sweeney, the assistant health commissioner for HIV prevention and control, associated these variations with remaining stigmas against homosexuality in minority communities. "There is a frequent phenomenon in the black community in which a man who is gay, by the conventional ways that we all know to identify somebody as gay, identifies himself as bisexual," Dr. Sweeney said. And, the study found, none of the men who identified as bisexual reported their same-sex activities to their physicians.
The study found further correlations along lines of age and nationality. Men over the age of 28 were 17 percent more likely to have an open relationship about their sexual preference and history with their physicians. A greater degree of education and having been born in the US were also found to be predictors of being out to one's doctor.
The study's other major finding concerned the consequences of these choices. Men who disclosed their sexual activity with other men were twice as likely to be tested for HIV as their more secretive counterparts. This has major implications from a public health perspective, since encouraging men to talk more to their doctors could lead to more comprehensive HIV testing, and to more men practicing safer sex.
How to encourage men to open up to their doctors? Aside from telling men that they should not be afraid to be honest with their medical providers, Dr. Sweeney thinks much of the responsibility rests with doctors themselves. "When the doctor initiates the subject, no matter how sensitive, most people talk about these things," she said. "They're reluctant to initiate, but once you bring up highly emotional issues, patients will talk about it if you're not judgmental."
If you don't feel comfortable talking to your doctor about your sex life, you need to find a new doctor. To find a GLBT doctor, ask your gay friends for a referral or visit the GLMA (Gay & Lesbian Medical Association) web site; there you can also find a list of 10 Things Gay Men Should Discuss with their Health Care Provider to get the conversation started.
Tadzo wrote:
I am a Doctor!! I'm a General Practiconer/ Family Doctor.
I'm not so young how does it seems. I a Doctor since 1979. Now I'm 58 years old.
Altough, I'm a gay man also, I agree with the whole of the article in The New York Times, wich I already knew.
Here, as my daily pratice says,gay men DON'T GO TO THEIR DOCTORS. Not even say they are gay,only a very half dozen in all o these years of profession.
I work in a little city south of Portugal, not far from the capital,Lisbon.
My collegues not even talk about the subject between us.Of course that after of all these years working at the same place, people know I'm gay(fear). I'd never had the least problem about it, "au contraire", I'm one of the more sucessfull betwwen the Medical Staff of my Health Center.
But I have the same opinion, PREVENTION IS A MUST!!!
Grettings from Portugal.
Tadzo.
Aug 06 7:34 PM
Italatin wrote:
I recently looked for a gay doctor so I could be more comfortable to discuss my private life and ask for more consistent advice. It took me nearly 2 weeks to find a gay doctor in the biggest city of South America. This by using gay internet sites as well. My gay friends did not have a gay doctor to refer to... I was really glad to find this one.
Aug 03 2:50 PM
youngblond888 wrote:
I would come out to my doctor but my doctor is a close family friend, some how i think Doctor confidentiality would fail under these circumstances, not to mention i am in the closet :)
Jul 30 6:14 AM
groundcombat wrote:
Of all the people to come out to, this is probably the easiest for me. Hell, I'd say it's easier to "come out" to my doctor that to the guy I'm having sex with. Doctors can only be as good as the information they have to work with. Keeping information that can affect their judgement and reasoning is just not a good idea. It's like not telling them your Diabetic or allergic to Penecillan.
Besides, having them grab my nuts for a hernia check and making me grab my ankles for hemrhoids inspection is way more awkward than coming out could ever be :-/
Jul 30 2:57 AM
pecxpress wrote:
Why does it matter if you are out to your doctor or not? If the reason for being out to your doctor is due to unsafe sexual behavior, then being out to him/her should not make a difference. Unsafe sex and sexually transmitted diseases apply to ALL sexual orientations, don't they?
Jul 30 12:49 AM
gymguy1 wrote:
That is a sad statistic. I had a doctor last year and told him I was gay. He didnt seem to take it well so I left him for another doctor (gay friendly). He is the best. He ask all the right questions and I dont lie to him in any way shape or form.
Jul 29 8:13 PM
RbyHussein71 wrote:
I think it's just plain funny, sad and stupid that some guys aren't out to their health care providers. Doctors probably come across situations a hell of a lot more shocking that a homo with a weird rash or something on a daily basis. Additionally, guys should be up front and honest about their drug and alcohol use with their doctor. Sometimes what we might think of as a trivial piece of information might be enough to steer a doctors thinking in a direction that will lead to a quicker diagnosis and more effective treatment.
Jul 29 4:33 PM
SurrealLife wrote:
That is a pretty disturbing statistic. My doctor, who is gay, has been my most important allie in my battle against HIV. He is a specialist in that field of care. Even if I had a straight doctor I would feel obligated to be honest with him/her since my sexual orientation can influence my mental and physical health.
Jul 29 4:29 PM