Health Disparities, Inpatient Stays, and Emergency Room Visits Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People: Evidence From a Mental Health System.

Objective: This study examined differences in health outcomes and acute service use between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals and a matched heterosexual control group.

Methods: Individuals ages 18 to 85 whose electronic health records indicated a sexual orientation as LGB and who were included in the 2015 New York State Office of Mental Health Patient Characteristics Survey (N=5,775) were matched with heterosexuals (N=5,775) by sex assigned at birth, age, race, Hispanic ethnicity, and county of residence and compared on health status indicators, conditions and behaviors, and acute service use. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate the odds and rates of acute service use.