Homophobes should learn to accept gay people or they will die earlier, at least they will according to a new study from Columbia University researchers.

The study found that people with negative feelings towards gay people die an average of 2.5 years earlier than those who have positive feelings towards homosexuals. The results were published in the February issue of the American Journal of Public Health, Business Insider reported.

"Anti-gay prejudice is associated with elevated mortality risk among heterosexuals, over and above multiple established risk factors for mortality," the researchers wrote, Business Insider reported.

The study was based off of 20,226 responses to the General Social Survey, which asked heterosexual respondents what they think gay people should be allowed to do.   

For example, one question asked: "Do you think that sexual relations between two adults of the same sex is always wrong, almost always wrong, wrong only sometimes or not wrong at all?" Business Insider reported.

The GSS survey was conducted between the years 1988 and 2008. Of the respondents, 4,216 died by the end of the time frame.

By controlling for factors including age, religiosity and marital status, researchers saw a "2.5-year life expectancy difference between individuals with high versus low levels of anti-gay prejudice," Business Insider reported.

The researchers acknowledged the study was not meant to find out why those with anti-gay sentiments died earlier. However, they did suggest the early mortality rate could be linked to health problems caused by anger homophobic people feel.

"Physiological changes associated with anger, such as increased cardiac responses, have been linked to the development of hypertension and to coronary heart disease," the researchers wrote, according to Business Insider.

Anger is the primary emotion that accompanies anti-gay behavior. But hostile feelings towards gay people, particularly in the U.S., are on the decline.

"It's a very good thing that Americans' attitudes toward homosexuality have been moving in the direction of tolerance and acceptance in recent years," Tom Jacobs from the Pacific Standard wrote, according to Business Insider. "This research suggests such a shift may produce a major, unexpected side benefit: longer lives."