Sexual and mental health disparities among young sexual minority women compared to exclusively heterosexual women: a national study

Introduction: Young sexual minority women (YSMW)'s sexual health is often overlooked in research, with most studies focusing on men who have sex with men or transgender women. Methods: This study compares the sexual and mental health of young lesbians and bisexual women with exclusively heterosexual women using data from a 2017 Swiss study on young adults' sexual health and behaviors. The sample includes 2,316 sexually active cisgender women. Bivariate analyses were conducted, followed by a multinomial regression using exclusively heterosexual women as the reference group. Results: Sexual orientation is associated with STI diagnosis, HIV testing, age at first gynecological visit, protection at last intercourse, intercourse involving multiple partners and sexual violence. At the multivariate level, lesbians are more likely to use no protection, to be older at their first gynecological visit, to have experienced three-way intercourse and to smoke. Bisexual women are more likely to use no protection, to report STI diagnosis, to be victims of sexual abuse, and to have experienced intercourse involving multiple partners. Conclusion: Further research and inclusive sexual health education and prevention campaigns are urgently needed to provide inclusive, comprehensive information on topics such as same-gender relationships, bisexual behaviors to reduce disparities in sexual and mental health outcomes.