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Describing inequalities in health and use of healthcare in LGBTQ+ people
Safe People
University College London
Academic Institute
Evangeline Tabor
Safe Projects
OFHS240200
The study's aim is to identify and describe inequalities in health and healthcare use for LGBTQ+ people. The research would aim to answer the following questions: - Do LGBTQ+ people have different outcomes for specific health conditions – specifically asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions - compared to heterosexual cisgender people? - Do LGBTQ+ people use healthcare in a different way compared to heterosexual cisgender people? There are over 1.5 million LGBTQ+ people in the UK. However, there is a large gap in our knowledge about their health. We know that LGBTQ+ people in the UK have worse mental health outcomes compared to heterosexual and cisgender people, however international evidence suggests there may also be differences in physical health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and asthma. Researchers think that these differences might also exist in the UK but the research is only just starting to happen. One of the reasons researchers think we see these differences is because LGBTQ+ people may feel less comfortable going to the doctors and attending important health screenings. We hope this research will help fill in some of the gap in our knowledge around UK LGBTQ+ health and this important potential cause of differences.
Heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune conditions, and asthma are all long-term conditions that impact millions of people every year and have big consequences for quality of life and life expectancy. Identifying groups that have particularly high risk for these conditions is an important step in preventing and treating them. In addition, LGBTQ+ people have the right to good health and equitable access to healthcare. We hope this research will help the NHS support LGBTQ+ patients and ensure information is available for GPs and other medical staff to provide informed care to LGBTQ+ people. We also hope the research will help policymakers make informed decisions around improving LGBTQ+ health outcomes.
Public Health Research
06/03/2025
06/03/2025