Date of Award

8-9-2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Department

Public Health

First Advisor

Eric R. Wright

Second Advisor

Temeika L. Fairley

Abstract

Cancer registries do not collect sexual orientation in their records, leading to limited information about LGB cancer survivorship. Studies have shown that both the LGB population and the population of cancer survivors participate in risky behaviors (i.e. smoking, drinking, and being overweight/obese; sleep inadequacy among cancer survivors), but information about LGB cancer survivors is limited. 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data was used to determine if LGB cancer survivors were more likely to participate in risky behaviors than straight cancer survivors. LGB survivors were more likely to drink at least one alcoholic beverage within the past 30 days (AOR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.44-2.75), to report being an ever smoker (AOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.12-2.25), and to binge drink (AOR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.21-3.28) than straight cancer survivors. There is a strong association between sexual orientation among cancer survivors and risky behaviors. The findings of this study concludes that risky behaviors may be detrimental to the health and survivorship of LGB cancer survivors and further research is needed to determine the association between LGB cancer survivorship, being an adolescent and young adult (AYA), and risky behavior.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/8889161

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