The new survey, which was taken this past spring of more than 2,000 adults living in related-family households, found that Americans gave their highest ratings to their health and community life: Overall health was rated as plus-100 o­n a scale of minus-200 to plus-200; community life was rated as plus-99.

Personal relationships with family and friends also scored a high average rating of plus-90.

The fourth domain — financial situations — had the lowest overall score of plus-66, no doubt a result of the recession and sluggish economy, according to the survey.

The largest segment is Catholics (17.2%), although only 29.5%t of those members say they are practicing. Six percent of respondents say they are atheists and almost a third (30.3%) say they have no religious preference.

With 8,831 respondents, the 2002-2003 Gay/Lesbian Consumer Online Census is the largest and most comprehensive GLBT consumer study ever conducted.