%0 Journal Article %J Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol %D 2011 %T Measuring multiple minority stress: the LGBT People of Color Microaggressions Scale. %A Balsam, Kimberly F %A Molina, Yamile %A Beadnell, Blair %A Simoni, Jane %A Walters, Karina %K Adaptation, Psychological %K Adolescent %K Adult %K Aged %K Aggression %K Bisexuality %K Ethnic Groups %K Female %K Focus Groups %K Homosexuality %K Humans %K Male %K Middle Aged %K Prejudice %K Self Report %K Sex Factors %K Social Desirability %K Stereotyping %K Stress, Psychological %K Surveys and Questionnaires %K Washington %K Young Adult %X

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals who are also racial/ethnic minorities (LGBT-POC) are a multiply marginalized population subject to microaggressions associated with both racism and heterosexism. To date, research on this population has been hampered by the lack of a measurement tool to assess the unique experiences associated with the intersection of these oppressions. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted a three-phase, mixed method empirical study to assess microaggressions among LGBT-POC. The LGBT People of Color Microaggressions Scale is an 18-item self-report scale assessing the unique types of microaggressions experienced by ethnic minority LGBT adults. The measure includes three subscales: (a) Racism in LGBT communities, (b) Heterosexism in Racial/Ethnic Minority Communities, and (c) Racism in Dating and Close Relationships, that are theoretically consistent with prior literature on racial/ethnic minority LGBTs and have strong psychometric properties including internal consistency and construct validity in terms of correlations with measures of psychological distress and LGBT-identity variables. Men scored higher on the LGBT-PCMS than women, lesbians and gay men scored higher than bisexual women and men, and Asian Americans scored higher than African Americans and Latina/os.

%B Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol %V 17 %P 163-74 %8 2011 Apr %G eng %N 2 %R 10.1037/a0023244 %0 Journal Article %J Am J Public Health %D 2010 %T Disparities in health-related quality of life: a comparison of lesbians and bisexual women. %A Fredriksen-Goldsen, Karen I %A Kim, Hyun-Jun %A Barkan, Susan E %A Balsam, Kimberly F %A Mincer, Shawn L %K Adolescent %K Adult %K Bisexuality %K Exercise %K Female %K Health Status Disparities %K Homosexuality, Female %K Humans %K Logistic Models %K Mental Health %K Middle Aged %K Obesity %K Poverty %K Quality of Life %K Risk Factors %K Stress, Psychological %K Urban Population %K Washington %K Young Adult %X

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the association of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) with sexual orientation among lesbians and bisexual women and compared the predictors of HRQOL between the 2 groups.

METHODS: We used multivariate logistic regression to analyze Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System population-based data (2003 to 2007) in a sample of 1496 lesbians and bisexual women and examined determinants of HRQOL among lesbians and bisexual women.

RESULTS: For lesbians and bisexual women, frequent mental distress and poor general health were associated with poverty and lack of exercise; poor general health was associated with obesity and mental distress. Bisexual women showed a higher likelihood of frequent mental distress and poor general health than did lesbians. The odds of mental distress were higher for bisexual women living in urban areas as compared with nonurban areas. Lesbians had an elevated risk of poor general health and mental distress during midlife.

CONCLUSIONS: Despite the standard practice of collapsing sexual minority women into a single group, lesbian and bisexual women in this study emerge as distinct groups that merit specific attention. Bisexual women are at elevated risk for poor HRQOL.

%B Am J Public Health %V 100 %P 2255-61 %8 2010 Nov %G eng %N 11 %R 10.2105/AJPH.2009.177329