Undercounts and overstatements: will the IOM report on lesbian health improve research?

In January 1999, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report on lesbian health research that fulfills 3 goals: it provides an extensive review of much of the research that has been done on the health of women who have sex with other women, it addresses the methodological and ethical issues inherent in conducting research on this population, and it suggests avenues for further research. This report will likely help lesbian health researchers gain funding, publish further research in medical journals, and receive support and validation from medical and research institutions. To ensure that such research is useful, benefits the lesbian community, and expands the understanding of lesbian health conditions, particular attention needs to be paid to the methods and definitions used and to the involvement of the lesbian community in designing, implementing, and analyzing the research itself.