Table 2

Prevalence of asthma by sexual orientation

Study nameHeterosexualLesbianAOR (95% CI)BisexualAOR (95% CI)SMWAOR (95% CI)
Blosnich (2014)*15.3%† (SE 0.003)22.2%†
(SE 0.03)
1.50
(1.04 to 2.16)‡
26.4%†
(SE 0.04)
1.68
(1.07 to 2.63)‡
Blosnich (2013) (lifetime diagnosis)14.6%† (NR)26.1%† (NR)1.72
(1.11 to 2.65)‡
Blosnich (2013) (current diagnosis)9.5% (NR)21.4% (NR)2.09
(1.30 to 3.36)‡
Boehmer (2014)§13.7% (SE 0.16)20.8%
(SE 1.70)
1.41
(1.14 to 1.73)‡
21.5%
(SE 1.76)
1.52
(1.24 to 1.87)‡
NRNR
Conron (2010)*17.4%† (SE 0.3)24.9%†
(SE 2.3)
1.68
(1.32 to 2.14)
25.7%†
(SE 3.1)
1.58
(1.15 to 2.18)
NRNR
Fredriksen-Goldsen (2012)*16.5%†19.9%†1.23 (NR)31.9%†2.17 (NR)‡NRNR
Garland-Forshee (2014)*12.1%†
(11.5 to 12.7)
15.4%†
(10.8 to 21.7)
1.2
(0.8 to 1.9)
25.6%†
(18.6 to 34.2)
2.4
(1.5 to 3.6)‡
NRNR
Kann (2016) by sexual identity23.0%†
(21.1 to 24.9)
NRNRNRNR28.3%†
(24.4 to 32.6)
NR
Kann (2016) by sexual behaviour25.8%†
(23.5 to 28.2)
NRNRNRNR31.4%†
(26.9 to 36.4)
NR
Matthews (2014)15.7%†NRNRNRNR27.7%†1.94
(0.96 to 3.92)
McNair (2011)§9.4%10.4%NR18.0%‡NRNRNR
Ward (2015) (current diagnosis)8.5%
(7.9 to 9.0)
9.5%
(6.2 to 14.4)
1.11
(0.70 to 1.76)
12.4%
(7.3 to 20.4)
1.53
(0.87 to 2.70)
NRNR
  • *Calculated from weighted percentages.

  • †Weighted percentages.

  • ‡Statistically significant to P<0.05 or less.

  • §Calculated from unweighted percentages.

  • AOR, adjusted OR; NR, not reported; SMW, sexual minority women.