Reported excellent health among men in same-sex and mixed-sex couples: Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 1993-2010

Self-reported excellent health was examined across sexual orientation among male adult couples using 18 years of data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Men in same-sex couples were more likely to report being in excellent health (28.7%) than men in unmarried and married mixed-sex couples (20.4% and 23.2%). After adjusting for other demographic and health factors, men in same-sex couples remained more likely to report excellent health than men in unmarried mixed-sex couples, but not than men in married mixed-sex couples. Reporting only adverse health disparities provides a partial picture of sexual minority health, and discounts the role of resilience and other health promoting factors in these populations.