Cancer Risk Behaviors, Cancer Beliefs, and Health Information Seeking Among Under-Represented Populations in San Francisco: Differences by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals in the United States are at increased risk of cancer compared to the non-SGM population. Understanding how SGM persons perceive cancer risk and their practices and preferences for accessing health information is key for improving the preventive and health care services they receive.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from the San Francisco Health Information National Trends Survey. SGM individuals were identified by self-report. Differences in cancer risk factors, cancer beliefs, and health information seeking were evaluated by SGM status using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results: Out of 1027 participants, 130 (13%) reported being SGM individuals. Current smoking (odds ratio [OR]=1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.24-3.01) and alcohol use (OR=1.69, 95% CI=1.10-2.59) were more common among SGM persons than among non-SGM persons. No differences by SGM status were observed in health information seeking behaviors, preferences, and cancer beliefs, but SGM participants reported significantly higher odds of feeling frustrated (OR=1.78, 95% CI=1.20-2.64) and having concerns about the quality of the information (OR=1.54, 95% CI=1.03-2.31) during their most recent health information search.

Conclusions: Intervention efforts aimed at SGM individuals with current use of tobacco and/or alcohol should be expanded. SGM communities also need improved access to consistent, reliable, and accurate sources of health information. Their increased frustration when seeking health information and concerns about the quality of the information they find have important implications for SGM health and care, and the drivers of these differences merit further evaluation.