Only 35% of the lesbian, gay and bisexual teenagers who took part in a health care study by RAND Corporation and the University of California, Los Angeles, responded that their doctor knew their sexual orientation.

Researchers surveyed 131 participants at the Models of Pride Youth Conference hosted by a southern California campus in October 2003 for this study. [Dr. Garth D. Meckler, lead author of the study,] said the researchers knew the survey sample would not be representative of all lesbian, gay or bisexual youth, because 70 percent said they were “out” to everyone or nearly everyone in their lives, and many had to travel to attend the conference.

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Ninety percent of the teens had been to see a doctor in the past two years, and nearly two-thirds had gone within the past 12 months. But despite the fact that 66 percent thought it was very or somewhat important that their doctor know their sexual orientation in order to provide the best health care possible, only 35 percent said their physician knew their sexual orientation. Of those teens whose physician knew their sexual orientation, only 21 percent said their doctor had raised the topic.

“One of the strongest predictors of whether or not the teens disclosed their sexual orientation was whether the physician had discussed sex with them at all,” Meckler said. “Very few physicians were regularly discussing sexuality, even though sex is one of the major developmental challenges and health risks at that age.”

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Other reasons the teenagers gave for not disclosing their sexual orientation included: the fact that their parents were in the exam room with them; fear that the doctor would tell their parents their orientation; embarrassment; and fear that their doctor would disapprove.