Health problems of gay and bisexual men

Significant mental and physical morbidity occurs among gay and bisexual men because health care providers are often unaware of their actual or potential health concerns. Mental health problems include anxiety, depression, suicide, and both alcohol and substance abuse. Physical health concerns include HIV disease, hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted diseases, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Health care professionals, who are clinically competent in the care of men who have sex with men, have the opportunity to reduce the risk of disease, while providing unbiased, quality care which recognizes the unique problems of this population of men.