Healthcare professionals need to develop greater understanding of the specific needs of lesbian patients and adopt a more sensitive approach to the advice they give them, according to research in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Nursing. American researchers found that overweight lesbians with identified heart risks were keen to take part in culturally sensitive programmes to improve their health, but very unhappy with healthcare professionals who focused purely on their Body Mass Index (BMI). The study revealed important generational differences in the women's attitudes towards their weight, and being overweight, together with an overall greater tolerance of different body shapes. It also showed that homophobia and social exclusion could lead to stress, anxiety and depression,weider...