LGBTQ+ Confronted by Increased Disabilities and Reduced Medical Care

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LGBTQ+ Confronted by Increased Disabilities and Reduced Medical Care

June 20, 2023 Leave a commentDisability Causes, Health and Wellness, UncategorizedBy The Council for Disability Awareness

As we celebrate Pride Month this June, the world’s LGBTQ+ communities have many hard-won achievements to recognize. In the United States, where the Pride movement began, acceptance of LGBTQ+ people is greater than in many other countries. Yet, the weight of continued discrimination and poor physical health and mental distress is taking a unique toll on a large percentage of LGBTQ+ Americans.

How Sexual Orientation Relates to Increased Disabilities

Recent studies have shown that sexual orientation is a significant indicator of disability. Among women, the odds of lesbians and bisexual women experiencing a disability are around 1.9-2.7 times higher than those of heterosexual women. For gay and bisexual men, the odds are of having a disability are about 2.8 times higher than those for heterosexual men.

Causes of Disability in the LGBTQ+ Community

These are some of the key health issues faced by LGBTQ+ people:

More substance use and abuse – lesbian and gay people are reported to be twice as likely as heterosexual people to have a “severe” alcohol or tobacco use disorder. Transgender youth are about 2.5 times more likely to use drugs, like methamphetamines and cocaine, than their cisgender peers.

Higher rates of mental illness – many studies have suggested higher rates of mental illness in the LGBTQ+ community – nearly twice as high as heterosexual women and men.

Obesity and eating disorders – lesbian and bisexual women are more likely to be overweight or obese than women who identify as heterosexual. And while gay men have lower odds of being obese compared to straight men, eating and body image disorders are more common.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – in the U.S., gay and bisexual men have the highest risks for a range of STIs.

Greater Risks of Cancer and Heart Disease – higher rates of smoking, poorly controlled blood sugar, alcohol use, and obesity are indicated in higher cancer and heart disease rates in the LBGTQ+ community.

The Challenge of Health Care Access for LGBTQ+ People

All of us rely on health care services and many of us may take them for granted. However, health care access for people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community can be more difficult to find. The Center for American Progress found that nearly one in 10 LGBTQ+ individuals reported that a health care professional refused to see them. Nearly three in 10 transgender people were refused care because of their gender identity.

In addition to discrimination, almost one quarter of LGBTQ+ people report postponing medical care or preventive screening due to costs; for transgender people, nearly 50 percent have avoided care for financial reasons.

Getting Equal Health Access for LGBTQ+ People

Help is available. Support groups, hot lines, health resources, and national LGBTQ+ directories are available in the U.S. An LGBTQ+ inclusive provider directory is maintained by the GLMA Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality. The Trevor Project is a non-profit providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQA+ youth (under 25s), while Trans Lifeline is a hotline run by and for trans people. And the LGBT National Help Center provides free, confidential peer support and information on local resources to help with anything from coming out issues to sexual abuse.