The following data sources have collected sexual orientation data.  Information is available here concerning each of these surveys.  This information is being uploaded to this website as time permits.  You can contact us directly if you would like additional information about any of these data sources or if you know of additional data sources that should be added.

The data sources included on this page were selected because they have properties that make them generalizable to larger populations.  While a few of these data sources were designed to collect data primarily from LGBs, most of them are large surveys that decided to include a sexual orientation variable.  For example, the National Survey of Family Growth was first fielded in 1973.  In the sixth cycle, which was fielded in 2002, sexual orientation variables were added.  The survey, which was designed to provide reliable national data on marriage, divorce, contraception, and infertility in the United States, can now provide information on these topics as they relate to LGBs.

The purpose of providing this information is to: 1) support the collection of sexual orientation data by survey administrators who have yet to collect this information, and 2) encourage the analysis of these datasets.

Centers for Disease Control Surveys

• Adult Tobacco Survey (ATS)
  • Illinois (ATS- IL)
  • New York (ATS - NY)
• Behavioral Risk Factor Surveys (BRFS))
  • California (BRFS - CA)
  • Connecticut (BRFS - CT)
  • Georgia (BRFS - GA)
  • Massachusetts (BRFS - MA)
  • North Dakota (BRFS -ND)
  • New York (BRFS - NY)
  • Oregon (BRFS - OR)
  • Vermont (BRFS - VT)
• HIV/AIDS Surveillance System (HASS) and Supplement (SHAS)
• National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
• National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
• National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG)
• Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS)
  • California - (YRBS - CA)
  • Colorado - Boulder County (YRBS - CO)
  • Delaware (YRBS - DE)
  • Illinois (YRBS - IL)
  • Maryland (YRBS - MD)
  • Massachusetts (YRBS - MA)
  • Maine (YRBS - ME)
  • New York (YRBS - NY)
  • Oregon (YRBS - OR)
  • Pennsylvania (YRBS - PA)
  • Vermont (YRBS - VT)
  • Washington (YRSB - WA)
  • Wisconsin (YRBS - WI)

Department of Justice

• National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
• Violence Against Women Survey (VAWS)

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

• Women's Health Initiative (WHI)

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Surveys

• National Alcohol Survey (NAS)
• National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC)

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

• Longitudinal Survey on Adolescent Health (Add Health)

National Opinion Research Center

• General Social Survey (GSS)
• National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration