Studies have proven that gay men and women are less likely to attend routine screening tests than heterosexuals, yet illnesses such as cancer can affect everyone, gay and straight. The reason behind this is unknown, but whether it is due to fear of discrimination or an unfounded understanding that you are less at risk, you should still be tested for illnesses and diseases no matter your sexuality.
Cervical cancer screening is important to detect early stages of the disease, and if you’re a lesbian you should have a cervical smear every three to five years. Around 2800 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year and if you can detect the signs early, you have a better chance of beating the disease – this is done through smear tests. A common myth is that lesbians can’t get cervical cancer but this isn’t true – although the risk is lower, there is still a chance you can develop it. A study showed that 15% of lesbians, as part of 6000 women questioned, had never had a smear test, while just 7% of women overall hadn’t had one.
Due to them being less likely to have children, more likely to be overweight and more likely to drink alcohol, lesbians are thought to be more likely to contract breast cancer than straight women. Yet despite the fact that the risk is higher, gay women rarely get tested for breast cancer. It is important to be routinely checked in order to pick up on any abnormal results.
Gay men have a higher risk than straight men of catching sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea, so it is vital that you get checked regularly at your local GUM or sexual health clinic to get advice and treatment if need be. Similarly, the male gay community is particularly affected by HIV so you should be checked in order to ensure you don’t have this disease – 27% of people who are infected with HIV don’t realise they have it. The most commonly diagnosed STD, for men and women of all sexual orientations, is chlamydia – regular check-ups can help catch this early if you have it. Be sure to seek advice on safe sex practices from your local sexual health clinic so that you can reduce your risk of disease and infections.
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