Bisexual Americans had more than double the rates of asthma and other lung diseases than heterosexual adults, according to a new study published in Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
The study analyzed data from 12,209 adults in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health.
Discrimination: possible cause
Overall, 29% of bisexual adults reported experiencing lung disease compared to 14% of heterosexual adults. But What could be the reason? According to the lead author of the study:
The higher levels of discrimination experienced by bisexual people could lead to more stress and lead to inflammation or stress hormones that make asthma worse. Bisexual adults have been shown to have poorer health outcomes in several domains of physical and mental health, and we add to this literature by showing disparities in asthma and other lung diseases.
Also, some sexual minorities may be less likely to seek care due to barriers to accessing health care. or experiences of discrimination in a doctor’s office.