Online Program

316478
Do Scores on the BEM Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and Klein Sexual Orientation Grid (KSOG) Predict Use of Health Services?


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 8:30 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.

Grace L. Reynolds, DPA, Center for Behavioral Research and Services, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
Dennis G. Fisher, PhD, Center for Behavioral Research and Services, California State University, Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
Background: Little research has been done on the assessment of sex roles and use of health services; it is hypothesized that higher levels of femininity may be associated with use of health services and self-care in men.

Method:  The Bem Sex Roles Inventory and the Klein Sexual Orientation Grid were completed by a community-based sample (N=97) in addition to the Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA) and the Health Services and Insurance Questionnaire (HSIQ) which elicited information on use of health services in the past year, 3 months, and past month and knowledge of the Affordable Care Act.  The RBA elicits demographic as well as sex and drug risk information; the BSRA classifies characteristics into masculine, feminine or neutral sex roles.  The KSOG rates individuals on seven variables of sexual orientation across past, present and ideal behavior. 

Results: The majority were male (n=53) and African American (n=43) with a mean age of 39 years (SD=13.97). BSRI scores on masculinity were negatively correlated with use of emergency department services (r=-.29, p=.04).  Use of inpatient services was negatively correlated with both feminine (r=-.33, p=.04) and neutral sex roles (r=-.44, p=.01).  Use of outpatient clinic services was associated with masculine sex roles (r=.30, p=.05).  The majority (62%) reported they knew what the ACA is, however, for those with no health insurance the majority (78%) reported that they were not trying to get it.  Men were more likely to answer "maybe" to the question of whether the respondent knew what the ACA was.

Conclusions: The finding that masculine sex roles were correlated with greater numbers of outpatient clinic services bears further investigation as it is contrary to hypothesized relationships.

Learning Areas:

Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Evaluate whether scores on the Bem Sex Roles Inventory or Klein Sexual Orientation Grid predict use of health services such as emergency departments, in-patient hospitalizations and outpatient clinic visits.

Keyword(s): Behavioral Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to be an abstract author because I conceptualized this study, conducted the data analysis and wrote up the final abstract
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.