Improving the accuracy of identifying lesbians for telephone surveys abouthealth

Knowledge about the health status and health care needs of lesbians is limi ted by the lack of population-based studies, although recent survey methods research offers suggestions that may be relevant to involving lesbians in more rigorous studies. To explore the transferability of findings about the general population to research on lesbian health, focus groups were conduc ted in 1997-1998 with self-identified lesbians in five U.S. urban areas. Vi deotaped telephone interviews stimulated discussion about methods for enhan cing participation of lesbians in random digit dial telephone surveys. Resu lts are useful for developing improved practices for conducting health surv eys with lesbians.