Health Promotion Opportunities for Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People: Using Data From the New Zealand Health Survey

IF 1.5 4区医学 Q3 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Health Promotion Journal of Australia Pub Date : 2025-07-15 DOI:10.1002/hpja.70077

Jeffery Adams, Jintana Jankhotkaew, Sonja J. Ellis, Stephen Neville

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Issue Addressed

Health inequity for sexual minority (lesbian, gay and bisexual) people compared with heterosexual people is well documented globally. However, limited local data have been used to inform health policy and practice. This project analysed data from the New Zealand Health Survey to determine areas of inequity in health behaviours and identify opportunities for health promotion action.

Methods

We used pooled data from six waves of the New Zealand Health Survey (from 2015/2016 to 2020/2021). The sample for analysis comprised 67 426 people aged 15 years and older, including 1224 sexual minority females and 703 sexual minority males. We applied multiple logistic regression to investigate the association between health behaviours and sexual identity.

Results

Sexual minority people were found to have poorer health behaviours in comparison to heterosexual people in relation to alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use, physical activity and nutrition (eating fruit and vegetables). For example, compared to heterosexual females, female minorities were more likely to be binge drinkers (OR:1.61; 95% CI:1.60, 1.62), current smokers (OR:1.88; 95% CI:1.86, 1.90), drug users (OR:3.23; 95% CI:3.20, 3.25) as well as being less likely to meet fruit (OR:0.84; 95% CI:0.84, 0.85) and vegetable consumption guidelines (OR:0.94; 95% CI:0.93, 0.94). It shows similar patterns of the associations when compared to heterosexual males with male minorities. In relation to physical activity, female minority people were more likely to meet the guidelines compared to heterosexual females.

Conclusion

Our results from the New Zealand Survey data are broadly consistent with the current international literature demonstrating health inequity for sexual minorities compared with heterosexual people in relation to alcohol consumption, smoking, drug use, physical activity and eating fruit and vegetables.

So What?

Opportunities exist in New Zealand to improve the health behaviours of sexual minorities, and health promotion agencies should ensure their interventions address the needs of these groups. Health promotion agencies have an ethical and moral responsibility to address these areas of inequity.

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促进女同性恋、男同性恋和双性恋者健康的机会：使用新西兰健康调查的数据

在全球范围内，与异性恋者相比，性少数群体（女同性恋、男同性恋和双性恋者）的健康不平等现象有据可查。然而，有限的当地数据被用于卫生政策和实践。该项目分析了新西兰健康调查的数据，以确定健康行为不平等的领域，并确定促进健康行动的机会。方法采用新西兰健康调查（2015/2016至2020/2021）的六波汇总数据。分析样本包括67 426名15岁及以上的人，其中性少数群体女性1224人，性少数群体男性703人。我们应用多元逻辑回归来调查健康行为与性别认同之间的关系。结果与异性恋者相比，性少数群体在饮酒、吸烟、吸毒、体育活动和营养（吃水果和蔬菜）方面的健康行为较差。例如，与异性恋女性相比，少数族裔女性更有可能酗酒(OR:1.61；95% CI:1.60, 1.62)，当前吸烟者(OR:1.88；95% CI:1.86, 1.90)，吸毒者(OR:3.23；95% CI:3.20, 3.25)，以及不太可能吃水果(OR:0.84；95% CI:0.84, 0.85)和蔬菜消费指南(OR:0.94；95% ci:0.93, 0.94)。与异性恋男性和少数族裔男性相比，它显示出类似的关联模式。在体育锻炼方面，与异性恋女性相比，少数族裔女性更有可能符合指南。我们从新西兰调查数据得出的结果与目前的国际文献大致一致，这些文献表明，与异性恋者相比，性少数群体在饮酒、吸烟、吸毒、体育活动和吃水果和蔬菜方面存在健康不平等。那又怎样?新西兰有机会改善性少数群体的健康行为，健康促进机构应确保其干预措施满足这些群体的需求。健康促进机构在伦理和道德上有责任解决这些不平等领域的问题。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Health Promotion Journal of Australia PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH-

CiteScore

3.10

自引率

10.50%

发文量

115

期刊介绍： The purpose of the Health Promotion Journal of Australia is to facilitate communication between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers involved in health promotion activities. Preference for publication is given to practical examples of policies, theories, strategies and programs which utilise educational, organisational, economic and/or environmental approaches to health promotion. The journal also publishes brief reports discussing programs, professional viewpoints, and guidelines for practice or evaluation methodology. The journal features articles, brief reports, editorials, perspectives, "of interest", viewpoints, book reviews and letters.