Racial Disparities in Health Behaviors and Conditions Among Lesbian and Bisexual Women: The Role of Internalized Stigma
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4212827/)
KEY FINDINGS
![Woman analyzing bar chart](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-866.png)
Little research has examined African American LB women’s physical health behaviors and conditions or compared them with their heterosexual and/or white counterparts.
![Icon of woman gazing into the distance](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-213.png)
Internalization of negative societal attitudes described above toward one’s own minority group (internalized stigma) may also negatively impact the health behaviors and conditions of marginalized communities.
![Icon of women staring at laptop screen](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-208.png)
Physical health behaviors and conditions of marginalized communities: There are at least two types of internalized stigma that apply to LB women across race/ethnicity: internalized homophobia (anti-homosexual attitudes toward the self) and internalized sexism (sexist attitudes toward the self).
![Icon showing health diagnostics](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-930.png)
Lower access to healthcare has also been noted for LGB individuals relative to heterosexual populations and has been suggested to be particularly poor for ethnic minorities who identify as LGB.
![Icon of woman doing yoga](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-918.png)
African American LGB women reported lower fruit/ vegetable intake and physical activity than white counterparts.
![Icon of woman looking at charts and graphs](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-bitcoin-growth-celebration.png)
African Americans have lower rates of insurance and source of usual care compared with white Americans, as well as lower quality of care once in the healthcare system.
![](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-olympic-medalists.png)
Development, implementation, and dissemination of stigma reduction programs for African American LGB women may be associated with physical health benefits.
![](https://getsmartb4ugetsexy.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/urban-user-2.png)
Internalized sexism has been found to be related to poorer mental health among LGB women.