LGBTQ Health Initiative
The LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender, Questioning) Health Initiative was created to address gaps in care and issues of health inequity within gender and sexually diverse communities.
Key Initiative Areas
Cultural Competency Training Program
Cultural competency training for healthcare professionals to create more safe places for gender and sexually diverse clients to get healthcare. The training is free and can be offered with Continuing Education Credits for Nurses and Social Workers.
Greater Columbus LGBTQ Health Coalition
A community-based initiative made up of health care providers, caregivers, community leaders, organizations and allies, with the goal of improving the health and safety of gender and sexually diverse communities in Columbus. This includes things like advocacy for gender and sexually diverse people and improving their wellness resources.
Health Promotion and Prevention
The LGBTQ Health Initiative collaborates with local community partners to promote healthy lifestyle choices with programs geared toward LGBTQ communities.
Why an LGBTQ Health Initiative?
LGBTQ people face a vast range of significant health disparities worse health than other groups. While some are a result of behavior, most are linked to social and institutional inequities resulting from homophobia and discrimination.
Categories of LGBTQ Health Disparities
The health disparities experienced by LGBTQ people can be grouped into four basic categories:
- Infectious Disease
- Chronic Disease
- Behavioral Health
- Quality of Life Issues
Among the health disparities1 experienced by the LGBT community, LGBT people experience a disproportionate amount of:
- suicide
- homelessness
- mental health challenges
- breast and cervical cancer
- HIV and other STIs
- obesity
- tobacco, alcohol and other drug use
The transgender community is at even greater risk for many of these concerns than their lesbian, gay and bisexual counterparts.
Key Documents
References:
1. “Report on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health,” Healthy People.gov (http://healthypeople.gov/2020/topicsobjectives2020/overview.aspx?topicid=25)