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| Smoking |
FACTS ABOUT LESBIANS AND SMOKING |
Lesbians and Smoking
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death among women, and lesbians may face the toughest fight to kick the habit. |
- About 27,000 more women die of lung cancer than breast cancer. Women who smoke are at an increased risk for numerous cancers as well as increased risk for heart disease and stroke according to data from the Valanis, et al. (2000).
- Women are more likely than men to smoke as a means of regulating mood and sexual minority women face more stress in their lives, according to research conducted by Michele Eliason, Ph.D., RN, of the Lesbian Health Research Center, and associate professor at the University of Iowa.
- Lesbians and bisexuals under 50 were more likely than heterosexuals to engage in cigarette smoking and heavy drinking (Valanis, et al. (2000).
- Data from the Women's Health Initiative indicates that about twice as many lesbians as heterosexual women reported being "heavy" smokers (6.8-7.4% of lesbians and 3.5% of heterosexual women). Although almost 50% of the heterosexual women reported never smoking, only 25-33% of lesbians reported never smoking (Valanis, et al., 2000).
- According to the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, lesbians are more likely to be heavy smokers than heterosexual women (Ryan et al., 2001).
- Smoking rates are higher in adolescent and adult lesbians than the greater population (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2000).
- According to the National Lesbian Survey, the rate of smoking among lesbians increases with age, while rates of smoking among women in the general population decline with age (Bradford, et al., 1994).
- In a study by the Mautner Project, older lesbians reported experiencing intense societal stigmatization and pressure to quit from both family and friends (2003). Unfortunately, this pressure tended to increase cigarette cravings as a compensatory response to stress.
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