Table 1.

Characteristics of studies included in the review (presented in chronological order)

Author (publication year) countryHealthcare specialtyStudy populationSelected sample characteristics (age, ethnicity, education level)Sample sizeStudy designRecruitment methodMMAT score, %
Barbara46 (2001) USNot statedLesbian womenAge range 24–65 years; 69% white; 90% some college education32Qualitative, focus groupsPurposive, community-based75
Beehler21 (2001) USPrimary careGay menMedian age 38 years (range 25–52); 82% white; 91% some college education11Qualitative, interviewSnowball50
Stein29 (2001) USRange — 77% primary careMen and women of any sexual orientationMean age 45 years (range 19–83); 76% white; 80% at least college education575Quantitative descriptive, surveyConvenience, snowball; community-based25
Boehmer32 (2004) USOncologyLesbian and bisexual womenMean age 49 years (range 26–67); 94% white; 97% at least college39Qualitative, interviewPurposive, community-based snowball75
Clover48 (2006) UKNot specifiedGay menAge range 60–75 years; 100% white10Qualitative, interviewPurposive, community-based50
McDonald50 (2006) CanadaNot specifiedLesbian womenAge range 26–56 years; 100% white; 73% at least some college education15Qualitative, interviewPurposive, community-based25
Bjorkman40 (2007) NorwayPrimary careLesbian womenMean age 41 years (range 28–59); all white; all well educated6Qualitative, focus groupsConvenience, online75
Mulligan35 (2007) AustraliaNot specifiedLesbian and bisexual womenAge range 20–71 years47Qualitative, interviewPurposive, online, and community-based50
Adams20 (2008) New ZealandPrimary careGay menNot specified50Qualitative, focus groupsNot specified50
Bjorkman31 (2009) NorwayAny, majority primary careLesbian womenAge range 18–≥60 years (68% aged 20–39); 87% Norwegian native; 67% some college education121Qualitative, onlineConvenience, online questionnaire75
Politi36 (2009) USNot specifiedWomen of any sexual orientationMean age 55 years; 98% white; 73% at least college education40Qualitative, interviewConvenience, community-based50
Daley41 (2012) CanadaMental healthLesbian womenAge range 20–58 years; 83% white18Qualitative, interviewPurposive, healthcare, and community75
Biddix44 (2013) USMilitaryGay and bisexual menAge range 18–47 years (56% 18–27); 86% white; 91% some college education30Quantitative, descriptive surveyConvenience, online0
Johnson22 (2014) USNot specifiedNon-heterosexual womenMean age 20 years (range 18–23); 77% white; all university students9Qualitative, interviewPurposive, online75
Koh23 (2014) AustraliaPrimary careLesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender men and womenModal age 20–29 years (range 18–≥60)99Qualitative, online questionnairePurposive, online, and print75
Sharek38 (2014) IrelandRangeLesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender men and women59% aged 55–59 years144 survey + 36 interviewMixed methodsConvenience, print/events/online50
Sherman28 (2014) USMilitaryLesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender men and women>50% aged 40–59 years; 84% white58Mixed methodsConvenience, healthcare, online, and community0
Wirtz49 (2014) MalawiRangeMen who have sex with menNot specified8Qualitative, interviewResponder-driven, purposive75
Law34 (2015) CanadaPrimary careLesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender men and womenMean age 32 years; 91% university education12Qualitative, interviewPurposive, snowball75
Marques24 (2015) PortugalNot specifiedLesbian womenMean age 37 years (range 21–63)30Qualitative, interviewSnowball75
Mattocks25 (2015) USMilitaryLesbian womenAge range 41–50 years; 35% white, 30% Hispanic, 15% African American20Mixed methodsPurposive, print, and healthcare0
Quinn42 (2015) USNot specifiedMen and women of any sexual orientationNot specified632Mixed methodsPurposive, online50
Underhill39 (2015) USRangeMen who have sex with menMedian age 27 years (male sex workers); median age 39 years (MSM); 76% white; 40–50% college education56Qualitative, interviewConvenience, snowball75
Fish33 (2016) UKOncologyLesbian, gay, or bisexual men and womenMean age 54 years (range 41–71)15Qualitative, interviewPurposive, community, and web-based75
Furlotte47 (2016) Canada‘Home care’Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender men and women and their partnersMean age 64 years (range 39–75); 96% white24 (12 couples)Qualitative, individual and paired interviewsWeb-based, purposive, snowball75
Legere45 (2016) CanadaOncologyLesbian and bisexual women2 in 20s, 4>40 years; 28% black7 (6 patients, 1 HCP)Qualitative, interviewPurposive, print, and online100
Munson26 (2016) New ZealandPrimary careLesbian and bisexual womenAge range 23–47 years; 83% higher education6Qualitative, interviewPurposive, snowball100
Roller27 (2016) USNot specifiedLesbian and bisexual womenMean age 41 years (range 21–59); all white; 67% college degrees13Qualitative, interviewPurposive, online75
Venetis30 (2017) USNot specifiedLesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender men and womenMean age 28 years (range 21–44); 66% white24Qualitative, interviewPurposive, community and online, snowball100
Wanyenze43 (2016) UgandaNot specifiedMen who have sex with men50% aged 21–25 years85 + 61 key informantsMixed methodsPurposive, snowball, responder-driven0
Rose37 (2017) InternationalOncology or primary careGay and bisexual menMean 64 years; 67% white124 + 21 partnersQualitative, interviewPurposive, online, and postal50

  • HCP = healthcare professional. MMAT = Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. MSM = men who have sex with men.