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Pages 74-102

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From page 74...
... . Although the study of erotic and romantic attractions can serve many important data collection goals, in administrative setting and general population surveys, measures of sexual attraction have often been included as an indicator of sexual orientation when there are concerns that stigma and prejudice may inhibit individuals' self-disclosure of their sexual orientation identity.
From page 75...
... . Given the implications for measuring identity when tracking services and outcomes for sexual minority populations and the long-standing inclusion of measures of sexual orientation identity as a tool for assessing sexual orientation, the remainder of the chapter focuses on a review and recommendation of measurement approaches of sexual orientation identity.
From page 76...
... Most of the measures assessing sexual orientation identity use the third approach in which the focus is documenting which sexual orientation identity labels people use to describe themselves, with slight variations in stems and response options. Across the surveys assessing identification with sexual orientation labels, slightly different wording is used in the question stems, such as "do you consider yourself," "describe your sexual orientation," or "think of yourself." The panel weighed concerns related to our principle of precision over whether naming the construct "sexual orientation" or "sexual identity" in the question stem was required for adequate performance of the measure.
From page 77...
... However, other surveys have had success including it with the demographic items without increasing nonresponse. For example, the Census Pulse Survey, which introduced a question on sexual orientation identity in 2021, includes the item as the eighth question overall following the twostep question on transgender identity (see Chapter 6)
From page 78...
... . We also assessed whether the measure met the content standard by including a stem and response options that reflected a focus on sexual orientation identity labels separate from gender identity, sexual behavior, or attraction.
From page 79...
... There is no one standard for acceptable item nonresponse rates; however, the U.S. Census Bureau, in a review of changes in responses to specific items between population counts, characterized nonresponse under 5.95 percent as "low."2 The percentage of respondents in 2020 who refused or did not provide data for sexual orientation on the English versions of the NHIS, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
From page 80...
... 80 MEASURING SEX, GENDER IDENTITY, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION TABLE 5-1  Item Nonresponse Rates and Sexual Minority Population Prevalence for Recommended Sexual Orientation Identity Measure Percentage Lesbian, Nonresponse/ Gay, Survey Question Unknown Rate Bisexual 2016 NCVS Which of the following best 2.8% 1.9% represents how you think of (weighted) yourself?
From page 81...
... . Canada did not include a question about sexual orientation in its 2021 census but has asked about sexual orientation identity on the Canadian Community Health Survey since 2003 and on its General Social Survey on 3 See revised Scotland census form here: https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/documents/ scotland-s-census-2022-question-set/.
From page 82...
... Its currently recommended measure for sexual orientation identity is a close version of the United Kingdom's question stem and response options (see Table 5A-2)
From page 83...
... The recommended measure allows for respondents to answer their sexual orientation identity using one of these popular terms or to write-in a response for other terms. Response Categories In considering the ordering of response categories, the panel decided to list the response options as they appear in existing surveys.
From page 84...
... • Recommended by the Federal Interagency Working Group on Improving Measure ment of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Federal Surveys (2016) Conceptual fit • Measures sexual orientation identity only (i.e., does not conflate identity with attrac tion and/or behavior)
From page 85...
... ≤3% Adjustments to previously • Removed "something else" and replaced with open-text and wording of "I use a diftested item included in ferent term" recommended measure • Include Two-Spirit category in automated data collection where racial identity is col lected and AIAN is indicated Weaknesses and challenges • Narrow set of responses that do not reflect current culture and terms used by many sexual minorities (e.g., queer, Two-Spirit) • Write-in sexual orientation identity field will have to be cleaned and coded for report ing; newer terms not listed (e.g., pansexual)
From page 86...
... served to distance themselves from what they perceived as a stigmatized sexual orientation. The panel recognizes that the wording of the response category for the heterosexual population is informed by psychometric work that was carried out over the past three decades when social awareness of sexual and gender minority identities was less well understood (Fredriksen-Goldsen and Kim, 2015; Sell, 1997)
From page 87...
... For example, the panel discussed whether additional response categories need to be added to the recommended measure to capture the use of sexual orientation identities such as "queer," "pansexual," or "same gender loving." However, the panel did not have sufficient evidence to warrant making such a recommendation at this time. Almost none of the general population survey questions the committee considered included these response categories (see Table 5A-1)
From page 88...
... When AIAN respondents were asked, "Which one category best describes your sexual orientation now? " the responses were are follows: 16 percent Two-Spirit, 30 percent gay, 29 percent bisexual, 15 percent lesbian, 7 percent heterosexual, 2 percent reported their specific tribal word for their sexual orientation, and 1 percent reported "other." Thus, one of six AIAN respondents 5 Analysts cannot not assume that all write-in responses for "I use a different term" represent sexual minority identities.
From page 89...
... recommendation that all clinical and research Indian Health Service forms include "Two-Spirit" as a response option for sexual orientation. Inclusion of the Two-Spirit response category ensures that data will capture the significant portion of AIAN respondents who would otherwise not identify with existing Eurocentric sexual orientation identity response categories.
From page 90...
... . In addition to the issues noted above, these include the following concerns: • whether concerns about straight people's comprehension of the sexual orientation identity terms are still warranted, in English and other languages; • whether changes are needed to the ordering of the response options; • how best to integrate standardized questions for sexual attraction as a measure of sexual orientation and determine under which conditions it is equally or more useful than identity measures; • the need for further assessment of item performance across all survey modes, including proxy reporting, in languages other than English, in all major U.S.
From page 91...
... Given the limited evidence on whether response order would affect response rates, the panel encourages research to examine whether response ordering affects the measure's performance. Item Performance of "Attraction" in General Population Data Collection Sexual attraction does not require individuals to identify or conform with a sexual orientation identity, nor does it require individuals to engage in sexual behavior.
From page 92...
... and age groups. Inclusion and Potential Expansion of Identity Categories There are a growing number of sexual orientation identity labels and increasing popularity in adopting some of these labels.
From page 93...
... Ongoing testing examination of how additional response categories may affect the performance of the panel's recommended measure is warranted, as it may offer the necessary evidence to empirically determine whether different responses need to be integrated into population-based surveys and acknowledge the presence of diverse sexual orientations in our society to the public without negatively affecting the currently established measures. The panel acknowledges the need for continued psychometric testing of the measure to incorporate changes in response category terminology, particularly as the social meaning of sexual orientation identity continues to evolve.
From page 94...
... • Guidelines for measures that capture other dimensions of sexual orientation, including sexual behavior and sexual attraction: in particular, standards for assessing asexual identities should be de veloped and tested. • The utility of including sexual orientation identity response options that may be more prevalent in subsets of the LGBTQI+ population, such as "queer" and "questioning" or, in African American com munities, "same gender loving." • The performance of existing measures and identification of best practices for how to assess sexual minority status among adoles cents, including whether sexual orientation identity is the most ef fective dimension to track (compared with attraction or behavior)
From page 95...
... • How reporting of sexual orientation identity is affected when re porting is done by proxy, such as when a single household respon dent responds on behalf of all household members.
From page 96...
... ● Prefer not to answer Do you consider yourself to ● Heterosexual or straight American National be heterosexual or straight; ● Homosexual or gay or Election Studies (ANES) homosexual or gay or lesbian; lesbian Women Only or bisexual?
From page 97...
... Which of the following best ● Gay; Behavioral Risk Factor represents how you think of ● Straight, that is, not gay; Surveillance System yourself?
From page 98...
... ● Bisexual Lesbian or gay, that is, homosexual ● Don't know, or Straight, that is, heterosexual ● Another sexual orientation Bisexual Don't know, or Another sexual orientation As I read the list again, please say ‘Yes' when you hear the option that best describes how you think of yourself. Do you think of yourself as: ● Lesbian or gay, that is, High School Longitudinal homosexual Study of 2009 (HSLS:09)
From page 99...
... ● Straight, that is, not Lesbian Survey (NATS-NCHS) or Gay; ● Bisexual; ● Something else; ● Respondent does not understand response options; ● Don't Know/Not Sure; ● Refused Which of the categories on the ● Heterosexual (straight)
From page 100...
... but somewhat attracted to people of the opposite sex; ● 100% homosexual (gay) ; ● Not sexually attracted to either males or females; ● Refused; ● Don't know Which one of the following ● Heterosexual, that is, National Survey of Drug do you consider yourself to straight; Use and Health (NSDUH)
From page 101...
... ● Gay or Lesbian; Surveillance System (YRBSS) ● Bisexual; ● Not sure; [Additional response options added in 2021]
From page 102...
... Scotland ● Other sexual orientation (Office of National Statistics, (free-text)


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