Estimating the lesbian population: a capture-recapture approach

Area of Science:

• Demography
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Accurate population estimates for lesbian women are lacking in the US, with current figures ranging widely.
• Understanding lesbian population size is vital for addressing specific healthcare needs and health disparities.
• This study aimed to provide a reliable estimate for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the number of women who identify as lesbian in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
• To determine the percentage of the adult female population that is lesbian in the study area.
• To highlight the importance of accurate demographic data for lesbian health.

Main Methods:

• Utilized capture-recapture methodology with mailing lists from four distinct sources.
• Employed log-linear modeling to estimate the total lesbian population size.
• Integrated U.S. Census data to calculate the proportion of the adult female population represented by lesbians.

Main Results:

• Identified 2185 unique individuals across the mailing lists.
• Estimated the total lesbian population in Allegheny County at 7031 (95% CI: 5850–8576).
• Calculated that lesbian individuals comprised 1.87% (95% CI: 1.56%–2.28%) of the adult female population based on 1990 census data.

Conclusions:

• Accurate lesbian population estimates are fundamental for targeted healthcare and research initiatives.
• Capture-recapture methods offer a robust approach for estimating hard-to-count populations.
• The findings provide essential demographic data for public health planning in Allegheny County and beyond.