Lesbian expectations and experiences with family doctors. How much does the physician's sex matter to lesbians?

OBJECTIVE

To identify the factors lesbian women find important in selecting a family physician and to describe their attitudes toward the sex of a physician. To determine their attitudes about disclosure of sexual orientation to physicians, their fears upon disclosing, and their actual experiences with disclosure.

DESIGN

Anonymous, self-administered, written questionnaire survey of lesbians in the Fraser Valley.

SETTING

Lesbian community in the Fraser Valley.

PARTICIPANTS

Volunteer responses were obtained from 53 of 125 women attending gay and lesbian dances, on mailing lists of gay and lesbian advocacy groups, and known to me as lesbians.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Demographic variables, attitudes toward family physicians, and experience of disclosing sexual orientation to their physicians.

RESULTS

Most participants considered it important to disclose their sexual orientation to their family physicians, and most had. Although some feared lower quality health care upon disclosure, the group as a whole was not particularly concerned about a decrease in quality. Most preferred a female family doctor. While female physicians were more frequently ascribed such characteristics as openness, kindness, and an accepting manner, male physicians were more frequently ascribed such characteristics as intolerance and homophobia. When participants rated their perceptions of their doctors' reactions upon disclosure, however, there was no significant difference between male and female physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

Most lesbians want to disclose their sexual orientation to their family physicians. Regardless of their own sex or sexual orientation, family physicians can provide valuable support to their lesbian patients.