'Gay unions may improve health'

2006-02-15 08:15

London - Gay and lesbian civil partnerships - better known as "gay marriage" - could bring lasting health benefits to same-sex couples, researchers said on Tuesday.

Doctors already know that marriage benefits the health of both sexes in a variety of ways. British scientists said civil partnerships for gay couples were likely to offer similar advantages.

"Marriage confers health benefits on men and women and similar benefits could arise from same-sex civil unions," said Professor Michael King, of London's Royal Free and University College Medical School, in a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia and Canada already give same-sex couples the rights traditionally offered to married couples.

Britain introduced civil partnerships for gay and lesbian couples late last year.

Many benefits

Elton John and his partner David Furnish made use of the new legislation, which creates partnerships which are not technically marriages but confer similar benefits.

"It looks like both men and women benefit from (traditional) marriage," King said.

"These are not effects just on happiness or well-being. They seem to be important in terms of cardiovascular disease and other issues."

Civil unions probably reduce discrimination against gay and lesbian couples and make their relationships more stable.

"It may be that recognition and support of relationships like that through taxation ... lead to people's lifestyle being different," he said.

"If it leads to gay peoples' relationships being more stable because families recognised them and there was a social framework of recognition, that might mean less exchange of partners, less sexual risk, less drinking, less of the sorts of problems that gay men and lesbians sometimes get into."

Increased support

Civil unions probably also increase support for gay and lesbian partnerships among families and in society at large, allowing couples to resolve any problems that arise in their relationships more easily.

"Social inclusion is a very big thing because if partnerships lead to recognition ... then that stops a lot of unhealthy habits that occur and it also stops a lot of psychological issues," King said.

"There is very good evidence now that gay men and lesbians are much more vulnerable to deliberate self-harm, to suicide attempts or to depression and other psychiatric problems."

Access to health care would also improve, according to the report which was co-written by Annie Bartlett from St George's Hospital Medical School in London.

- Reuters