Expectation of Rejection and Its Association with Health Care Avoidance and Delay Among 2175 Korean Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Survey

Abstract

© Copyright 2022, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2022.Purpose: The study examined an association between expectation of rejection and health care avoidance and delay (HAD) among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) adults in South Korea. Methods: We analyzed data from a nationwide cross-sectional survey of 2175 South Korean LGB adults, which was approved by the Korea University Institutional Review Board. We categorized expectation of rejection into tertiles ("low,""medium,"and "high"levels) and investigated its association with past 12-month HAD using multivariate modified Poisson regression. Results: After adjusting for covariates, including experiences of discrimination, participants with high levels of expectation of rejection had 1.38-times (95% confidence interval: 1.16-1.65) higher prevalence of HAD compared with those with low levels. Conclusion: Living in anticipation of rejection can negatively impact LGB adults' health care utilization.