Lesbian
Welcome to the Lesbian Health pages of the QAHC website.
Here you will find information, resources and research on health issues for lesbians and other same sex attracted women. You'll also find info on the QAHC Lesbian Health Action Group, which is leading on lesbian health for QAHC. As we expand our health work with lesbians we'll add more to these pages, so please visit regularly to check out any updates.
Contents
International Lesbian Day 2010
Did You Know? Lesbian Health Facts
Other Lesbian Health Resources
Lesbian Research Reports & Strategies
LHAG NEWS
Lhag will be holding a planning day on April 9 from 1-5pm. QAHC 30 Helen ST Newstead.
If you are interested in becoming involved or finding out what the group is doing for the next 12 months then please come along.
RSVP to rmenzies@qahc.org.au by April 1
DocList
DocLIST is an online list of doctors recommended by lesbian and bisexual women, administered by Alliance member the Australian Lesbian Medical Association. The project was piloted in Victoria in 2010 and is now being rolled out nationally. There are currently over 30 doctors on the list, including GPs and specialists, metropolitan and rural doctors. DocLIST is a free service to lesbian and bisexual women within the community. The main reasons women look at the DocLIST are to find a lesbian/bi-friendly doctor, and to recommend their doctor for the list. Recommended doctors are contacted by ALMA (without disclosing who recommended them) to see if they agree to go on the list.
For more information: www.doclist.com.au
The Pursuit of Pappiness!
NEWSFLASH - Look for your FREE calendar at up coming lesbian events
The 2011 HPV and cervical Screening Awareness Calendar is a gorgeous collection of female imagery raising much need funds for the Lesbian Health Action Group and educating women on how to be HPV and cervically aware.
While over 60% of lesbians have had a male sexual partner in their lifetime, many of these women may exclude themselves from health promotion campaign messages which do not intentionally include lesbians (McNair, Power, & Carr, 2009). Further, in a study which explored the knowledge of lesbian and other women who have sex with women about HPV and their attitudes to the HPV vaccine and cervical screening, it found lesbians do not perceive health promotion messages for ‘all women’ to include them regarding sexual health issues (McNair et al, 2009).
Brisbane
QAHC
30 Helen St
Newstead
Lesbian Health Action Group
QAHC has formed the Lesbian Health Action Group (LHAG) to lead on the development of health initiatives for lesbians and other same sex attracted women. The goals of the group are:
- to improve the health and wellbeing of lesbians and same sex attracted women in Queensland
- to build on past and current initiatives and the existing strengths and resources of women
- to develop new and innovative responses to lesbian health using evidence-based practice
Membership of the Action Group is open to all those who support the goals of the Group and are willing to work to achieve them.
Over the coming months the Group will:
- build and gather literature and research on lesbian and SSAW health issues
- develop a Queensland Lesbian Health Strategy
- secure resources to implement the Lesbian Health Strategy
- engage with women about their health and wellbeing issues in an inclusive, ongoing and consistent manner
Meetings of the Action Group are held on the 1st Tuesday of each month, 7pm at QAHC Brisbane. If you are interested in attending or would like more information, please contact QAHC on 3017 1777 or email womenshealth@qahc.org.au
NEW! If you are in Cairns, get in touch with LHAG Cairns at lhagcairns@qahc.org.au.
Action Group Terms of Reference
Minutes:
Did You Know? Lesbian Health Facts
LESBIANS NEED PAP SMEARS!
- Even if you have never had sex with a man, you could still have Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is responsible for cervical cell changes which can lead to cervical cancer. A third of lesbians surveyed have not had a PAP smear in the last three years or ever. 1
LESBIANS GET STIs TOO!
- Same-sex attracted women are just as likely to have had a sexually transmissible infection (STI) in their lifetime, as their heterosexual counterparts. 2
LESBIANS SUFFER FROM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES!
- Same-sex attracted women are significantly more likely than other women to report being depressed (38%), have high levels of anxiety (17%) and have tried to harm or kill themselves (12%). 3
LESBIANS ‘USE’ MORE THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE!
- Lesbians and other WSW are significantly more likely than the general population to report higher use of alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs, including injecting drug use. 4
LESBIANS NEED TO BE BREAST AWARE!
- Lesbians may have a higher risk of breast cancer because they are less likely to have ever given birth, more likely to be obese, smoke and drink alcohol at harmful levels. While breast cancer in lesbians has not been researched thoroughly, current literature suggests that these factors are predictive of a breast cancer diagnosis. 5
LESBIANS NEED TO LOOK AFTER THEIR HEALTH!
- Lesbians are less likely, than heterosexual women, to seek routine health care due to stigma and discrimination, which means that cancers, such as breast and cervical, are likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage, when treatment options are limited.
References:
1 Richters, F., Song, A., Prestage, P., Clayton, S. &Turner, R. ‘Health of Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women in Sydney: The 2004 Sydney Women and Sexual Health Survey, National Centre in HIV Social Research, UNSW. Sydney, 2005.
2 McNair, R. ‘Risks and Prevention of Sexually Transmissible Infections Among Women Who have Sexual with Women.’ CSIRO, vol. 2, 2005.
3 Pitt, M., Smith, A., Mitchell, A. & Patel, S. ‘Private Lives: A report on the health and wellbeing of GLBTI Australians’. ARCSHS, La Trobe University, Melbourne. March 2006.
4 Hillier, L., Dempsey, D., Harrison, L. et al. Writing Themselves In: a national report on the sexuality, health and wellbeing of same-sex attracted young people. Australian Research Centre in Sex Health & Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, 1998.
5 Breast Cancer in Australia: An Overview, 2006, (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare and National Breast Cancer Centre, 2006).
QAHC Resources for Lesbians and Women Who Have Sex With Women
Lesbians and Breast Cancer factsheet provides information on breast cancer, self-examination techniques, having mammograms and risk factors for Lesbians regarding breast cancer.
Lesbians and Sexual Health factsheet provides information on sexual health, sexually transmissible infections and sexual health check ups for lesbians.
Looking After Your Cervix: HPV and Pap Smears factsheet provides information on Pap smears, HPV and risk factors relating to Cervical Cancer for lesbians.
A Guide to Sex and Sexual Health for Women who have sex with Women
Other Lesbian Health Resources
Lesbians, Sexual Health and Pap Smears is a Queensland resource on sexual health, pap smears, cervical cancer and finding a health professional produced by Women’s Health Queensland Wide and Family Planning Queensland 2004.
Opening the Door to Lesbian Health provides an overall look at lesbian health, from accessing services to taking care of yourself and your body. Produced by the AIDS Council of NSW, 2003.
Lesbian Zest shares the stories of 27 lesbians who tell where they get their support from and what supports them flourish. Written by Ea Mulligan, SA, 2007.
Be Breast Aware provides information on the potential increased risks of breast cancer for lesbians and what can be done to reduce risks and detect breast cancer. ACON 2006.
Quit Smoking Now highlights the benefits of quitting, provides tips on how to quit and provides info on rates of smoking in among lesbians. ACON 2006.
Lesbian Research Reports & Strategies
The Health and Well-Being of Lesbian and Bisexual Women in Western Australia report provides an insight into the health outcomes, inequalities and community connectedness of women who have sex with women in Western Australia. Produced by the Western Australian Centre for Health Promotion Research, WA, 2007.
Health of lesbian, bisexual and queer women in Sydney: The 2004 Sydney Women and Sexual Health Survey provides an insight into the sexual health, practices and partners, as well as drug use and knowledge of health risks for LBQ women in Sydney. Published by National Centre in HIV Social Research, NSW, 2005.
Turning Point: ACON Lesbian Health Strategy 2008-1011 a guiding document to inform ACON’s whole-of-organisation approach to service and program delivery to lesbians and same-sex attracted women, and to equip ACON with an effective lobbying and fundraising tool.
Links
Lesbian Health: Health and Health Care for Lesbian, Bisexual and same sex attracted women including sexuality and parenting.
www.dialog.unimelb.edu.au
Girl2Girl is a lesbian health wesite that provides safe sex information for women having sex with women.
www.girl2girl.info
Women's Health Queensland Wide is a not-for-profit health promotion, information and education service www.womhealth.org.au
Family Planning Queensland provides sexual and reproductive health services to the Queensland population www.fpq.com.au
International Lesbian Day Survey
This is the 3rd annual ILD survey on lesbian health issues for QLD conducted by LHAG. This year the survey has gone online so as to capture the views of lesbians from around the state.
The information from the survey informs the work of LHAG for the following 12 months, such as breast awareness and the “Boobalicious” calendar in 2009/10 and cervical screening and “The Pursuit of Pappiness calendar for 2010/11.
So click on the link and have your say on lesbian health and inform the focus of LHAG activities for 2011/12
ILD Survey link
