Abstract:
A body of health research indicates the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)
community has a lower life expectancy due to health disparities and obstacles unique to
the LGBT experience. Health communication research has shown that patients’
relationships with their primary care physicians can have strong influences on their health
outcomes. This study seeks to answer the research question, “How does a gay/bisexual
man’s relationship with his doctor influence his level of personal disclosure with his
physician regarding health?” Through a survey of men who self-identify as gay or
bisexual, links to the online survey were distributed by a snowball sampling through
LGBT groups on Facebook and prominent LGBT organizations and activists on Twitter.
Respondents completed a survey examining their demographic characteristics, their
relationships with their primary care physician, and the health issues they have disclosed
to their healthcare providers. A mixed method research design was used to address the
research question, which asks whether or not a gay man’s choice of primary care physician plays an important role in the information he is willing to disclose about his
health to that same person.
