Health Issues for Lesbians

Taking Care of Emotional Well-being

Lesbians and women who have sex with women often face higher risks of anxiety and depression. Rejection from friends or family, social isolation, homophobia, or mistreatment can lead to these mental health issues.

Discrimination or not being able to talk openly about one’s sexual orientation can also make things worse. Warning signs include changes in mood, trouble sleeping, or withdrawal from friends. These issues can affect daily life, work, and relationships.

What Helps

Talk to a Provider: Mental health professionals familiar with LGBTQ+ issues can offer support and teach coping skills.
Find Support Groups: Meeting others with similar experiences can help reduce feelings of loneliness.
Reach Out: Trusted friends, family, or helplines are useful for sharing worries and reducing stress.

Keeping up with self-care activities like exercise, healthy eating, and enough sleep can also make a big difference.

Lowering the Risk of Sexual Infections

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can affect all sexually active people, including lesbians and bisexual women. Some infections pass between women through skin-to-skin contact, sharing sex toys, or oral sex. Infections that may occur include HPV, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, and less often, HIV.

Infection	Possible Symptoms	Prevention Methods
HPV	Warts, no symptoms	Vaccination, safer sex practices
Bacterial Vag.	Discharge, odor	Barrier protection, good hygiene
Trichomoniasis	Itching, discharge	Regular testing, barrier methods
HIV	Flu-like, none at first	PrEP, limiting partners, barrier use

Sexual Health Tips

Get Regular Screenings: Many STIs do not cause symptoms. Early testing and treatment protect health and partners.
Use Barriers: Items like dental dams or condoms on sex toys lower the chance of infection.
Clean Sex Toys: Wash with hot, soapy water and consider covering with a new condom before each use.
Limit Risky Behaviors: Avoid sharing needles, and consider lowering alcohol or drug use to reduce risky choices.
Vaccinate: HPV vaccines can reduce the risk of cervical and other cancers. Vaccines for hepatitis A and B are also important.
PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis): Taking PrEP can lower the risk of getting HIV, especially if a partner is HIV positive.

Health providers can recommend the right screenings, like Pap tests and pelvic exams, for age and sexual history.

Seeking Help for Substance Use Concerns

Lesbians and bisexual women often face higher risks related to substance use, including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs. Stress from discrimination, bias, or rejection can contribute to these risks.

Common Risks

Alcohol: Heavy drinking can harm the liver, heart, and increase cancer risk.
Smoking: Raises chances of heart disease, several cancers, and lung illness.
Drugs: Use of amphetamines and other drugs increases risk of accidents and organ damage.

What to Do

Ask for Help: Health care providers can connect people to substance use programs or LGBTQ+ friendly support networks.
Quitting Smoking: Stopping tobacco products cuts the risk of heart disease, cancer, and breathing problems.
Limit Alcohol and Drugs: Lowering use helps prevent injury, diabetes, liver disease, and risky sexual behavior.

Signs Help May Be Needed

Trouble cutting back or stopping use.
Using drugs or alcohol to cope with stress regularly.
Problems at work, home, or school related to substance use.

Programs and online resources exist specifically for the LGBTQ+ community. These groups can help provide understanding and targeted care.

Understanding and Responding to Relationship Abuse

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can affect anyone, including women in relationships with women. This type of violence may include physical, emotional, or sexual harm. People in same-sex relationships may be less likely to report abuse due to fear of being outed or concerns of not being believed.

Red Flags

Being threatened with exposure of sexual orientation to others.
Physical injuries or feeling unsafe at home.
Being controlled, threatened, or humiliated.

What Makes It Hard to Get Help

Worry that health providers or police may be biased or may not understand
Fear of discrimination or rejection if someone finds out about the relationship

Steps for Safety

Confide in Someone: Trusted friends, family, or a health professional can offer support.
Find Resources: Domestic violence hotlines and LGBTQ+ organizations can provide confidential advice and help plan for safety.
Know Your Rights: Many places have laws that protect victims regardless of sexual orientation.

Making Routine Health Care an Ongoing Priority

Concerns about homophobia, stigma, or misunderstanding by health professionals sometimes keep lesbians and other women who have sex with women from regular checkups. Missing regular care can mean missing out on important screenings or treatment.

Key Routine Health Checks

Test or Check	Why It’s Important	How Often
Blood Pressure	Detects risk of heart disease/stroke	At least yearly
Cholesterol	Monitors heart and artery health	Every 5 years or as advised
Pap Test & Pelvic Exam	Finds cervical/gynecological cancers	Every 3 years (ages 21-65)
Breast Exam/Mammogram	Screens for breast cancer	Every 1-2 years (age 40+)
STI Screening	Catches infections early	Frequency based on risk factors
Blood Sugar	Checks risk for diabetes	As advised by doctor

Find a Supportive Provider: Choose a professional who helps patients feel comfortable discussing all aspects of their life and health.
Disclose Sexual History: This ensures the correct screenings, like for HPV or cervical cancer, are provided.
Discuss Worries Openly: Providers can help manage high blood pressure, cholesterol, diet, exercise, and other health risks, such as obesity and diabetes.
Keep Up with Vaccinations: For hepatitis, HPV, and the flu.

Other healthy habits include not smoking, staying active, eating a balanced diet, and maintaining a healthy weight to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.

Quick Reminders

Screenings and regular exams find problems early.
Health professionals should be allies, not barriers.
Prevention saves lives—schedule routine checkups, even when feeling well.

Summary Table: Most Important Concerns

Issue	Risks	Ways to Lower Risk
Heart Health	Obesity, high BP	Exercise, healthy food, checkups
Tobacco Use	Cancer, heart, lungs	Quit smoking, support programs
Cancer Risk	HPV, family history	Regular screenings, vaccines
Mental Health	Depression, anxiety	Support groups, therapy
Substance Use	Alcohol, drugs	Counseling, limit use, quit programs
Sexual Health	STIs, HIV, HPV	Safer sex, vaccines, routine testing
Intimate Partner Violence	Abuse, mental harm	Reach out, use resources, safety steps