Abstract
The research presented in this chapter is based on the assumption that the sexuality of consumers will influence their views and preferences in relation to health care services. This assumption arises from the recognition that the use of health care services can call for the explicit or implicit disclosure or management of potentially sensitive information which may influence the nature of subsequent interactions between the patient and health care professionals. This includes information about patients' sexuality. For lesbian and gay patients, this may create particular dilemmas because lesbian and gay sexualities are often subject to social disapproval, prejudice and discrimination (Snape et al., 1995; Herek, 1998). This situation may mean that lesbian and gay patients have particular views and preferences regarding the provision of health care services and the ways in which their sexuality is dealt with in health care contexts. However, it is acknowledged that many other factors, such as gender, will also shape their views and preferences so that these views and preferences will sometimes represent the outcome of an interaction between sexuality and other factors.