Understanding lesbians' mammography utilization.

Lesbians face unique barriers to health care, and may be at higher risk for breast cancer than are other women. Yet, no research on lesbians and mammography utilization exists. We conducted telephone interviews of 107 lesbians aged 51-80, of whom 68 had had mammograms in the last year and 39 had not. Responses to open-ended questions identified the barriers lesbians face in obtaining mammography, lesbians, reasons for obtaining mammograms, and factors that would help lesbians obtain mammograms. Some issues identified were particular to lesbians; many issues were common to those identified by general samples of women (which include lesbians).