Health care services are something that we all need at some time in our lives and many of us take them for granted. However, not everyone has equal access to medical guidance and services. As a result, some communities experience poor health conditions. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities designated the LGBTQ+ community as a “health disparity population” in 2016 because those who identify as members of this community have limited healthcare access.
This is supported by a 2017 nationally representative study of LGBTQ+ individuals. According to the poll, almost one in ten LGBTQ+ people said that a medical practitioner had turned them away because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation. Almost three out of ten transgender people claimed that their gender identity prevented doctors from treating them.
In order to stay healthy, members of the LGBTQ community must be aware of specific health risks and concerns. People in this community may be more susceptible to greater physical and mental health problems in addition to those that are common to all men and women, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identities, such as heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases.
Major Health Issues Faced by the LGBTQ+ Community
Six primary health issues experienced by the LGBTQ+ community are as follows:
- Higher Rates of Sexually Transmitted Infections
For the LGBTQ community, HIV and STDs continue to be among the most serious health issues. The group most commonly infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is gay, bisexual, and other males who have sex with men (MSM). Adolescent and adult homosexual and bisexual males made up 69 percent of the 37,832 new HIV infections in the US in 2018, according to a CDC report.
The majority of homosexual and bisexual males contract HIV through anal intercourse without using protection, such as a condom or taking medication to prevent HIV, according to the CDC, which also states that anal sex is the riskiest type of sex for contracting or transferring the virus.
Gay and bisexual males are more likely to contract or spread gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other STIs like syphilis, which can all significantly increase the risk of contracting or spreading HIV.
According to statistics related to LGBT health, people in this community have a higher risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Anal cancer is nearly 20 times more common in gay, bisexual, and MSM males than in heterosexual men, according to a 2017 study that was published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases. In addition to being a risk factor for ano-genital cancers, HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer in women. Due to the role of oral sex in virus dissemination, it is also connected to head and neck cancers.
- More Substance Use and Abuse
Despite contradictory evidence, some findings imply that substance abuse and use are more common in the LGBTQ+ population.
Compared to heterosexual people, who smoked 15.3 percent of the time, adults who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual smoked 20.5 percent of the time. Smoking raises the risk of lung cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, and a variety of other illnesses.
The high incidence of substance abuse disorders in the LGBTQ+ population is highlighted by research published in LGBT Health in 2019. The likelihood of having a “severe” alcohol or tobacco use disorder was more than twice as high for lesbian or gay people as for heterosexual people and was three times higher for bisexual people.
- Higher Rates of Mental Health Conditions
When it comes to LGBTQ mental health, numerous studies have revealed that the LGBTQ+ community has a greater incidence of mental illness. A large, detailed research published in Pediatrics discovered that transgender adolescents were several times more likely than others to suffer attention deficit problems and depressive disorders.
LQBTQ+ adults are more than twice as likely to experience a mental health condition in their lifespan as heterosexual men and women, according to a meta-analysis of health surveys that were published in BMC Psychiatry in 2016.
- Higher Odds of Obesity and Eating Disorders
Bisexual and lesbian women were more likely to be overweight or obese than women who identify as heterosexual, according to research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in 2019.
Gay men, however, were substantially less likely than straight males to be obese (there was no significant difference when it came to bisexual men). According to a study that was published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, eating disorders and problems with self-image may be more prevalent among gay and bisexual males than in heterosexual men.
LGBTQ+ people face different stressors from their straight peers, including bullying, harassment, internal homophobia, body image issues, hurdles to receiving medical and mental health care, and violence. They are more likely to experience eating disorders and other mental health problems as a result of these factors.
- Higher Rates of Breast and Cervical Cancers
The National LGBT Cancer Network asserts that LGBT groups are “disproportionately afflicted by cancer” despite the lack of extensive statistics on cancer rates in the LGBTQ+ community. Lesbian and bisexual women are more likely than heterosexual women to get breast and cervical cancer, according to a 2000 study analysis of data from more than 93,000 women aged 59 to 70 published in the Archives of Family Medicine. It is unknown, though, whether this is a result of decreasing screening rates or other elements like alcohol consumption and obesity that are known to increase the risk of these diseases.
- Greater Risk of Heart Disease
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual persons are more likely than heterosexual adults to develop heart disease and other cardiac issues, according to a 2018 study that was published in the journal Circulation. Numerous studies examined seven aspects of heart health that are under our control and discovered that people in sexual minority groups were more likely to smoke and have poorly managed blood sugar levels, both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Conclusion
In India and throughout the world, members of the LGBTQ+ community have struggled valiantly for equality in rights, opportunities, and treatment. If you belong to the LGBTQ+ group, you may find that stigma, prejudice, or other social difficulties are having a detrimental impact on your health and well-being. Making connections with other LGBTQ+ community members and spreading awareness of any health issues you might be dealing with can be helpful in fostering a sense of support. This will also enable you and others to take preventative measures and seek medical attention as and when required. In the light of Pride Month, let us unite and address the health issues prevalent among the LGBTQ+ community.
