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Title: Shared Lives, Shared Health: Sexual Minority Status, Gender, and Health in Couple Relationships Author Info
Citation Type: Dissertation/Thesis
Publication Year: 2018
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Abstract: his project contributes the first population-level analysis of same-sex partners’ health similarity and its role in sexual minority health and economic inequality. Although there are decades of research on the health of intimate partners, such research largely focuses on different-sex spouses. Similarly, the recent proliferation of sexual minority population health research has largely overlooked couple relationships. To address this disconnect, this dissertation pursues three related questions with population-level data from the National Health Interview Surveys. First, how similar are same-sex partners’ self-rated health and activity limitations compared to different-sex spouses and cohabiters? Second, how do couple characteristics relate to sexual minority health disparities? Third, how do couples’ activity limitations and gender impact partners’ employment? Overall, results show high levels of health similarity among same-sex partners, and elevated risk of health disadvantages compared to different-sex spouses, particularly among same-sex female couples. For same-sex couples, partners’ combined socioeconomic resources provide a boost for health, particularly for women, whereas different-sex cohabiters’ sparse resources drive couple health downward. Finally, same-sex partners do not follow heteronormative work trends when a partner has activity limitations. Ultimately, this project provides a path toward inclusive couple health research that addresses the needs of diverse couples, increasing our ability to identify and address health disparities in unmarried and sexual minority couples.
Url: https://etd.ohiolink.edu/pg_10?0::NO:10:P10_ACCESSION_NUM:ucin1522337550313109
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Authors: Spiker, Russell L. Jr.
Institution: University of Cinncinati
Department: Sociology
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Data Collections: IPUMS Health Surveys - NHIS
Topics: Health
Countries: United States