U.S. Panel Suggests Research Into Causes and Prevalence of Health Issues Facing Gays

By ROBERT PEAR Published: March 31, 2011, reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogger.com/

WASHINGTON — The federal government should systematically collect demographic data on gay, lesbian and transgender people and should conduct biomedical research to understand why they are more likely to have certain chronic conditions, the National Academy of Sciences said Thursday.

In a report requested by the National Institutes of Health, the academy proposed an ambitious research agenda to investigate the prevalence and causes of obesity, depression, cancer, heart disease and other conditions among gay people.

Federal officials had asked the academy’s Institute of Medicine to identify gaps in research on the health of gay Americans. Dr. Robert O. Graham, the chairman of the panel that did the study, said that was impossible.

“The available evidence on the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people is sparse,” said Dr. Graham, a professor of family medicine at the University of Cincinnati. “Researchers need to do much more than simply filling gaps.”

The panel, appointed by the Institute of Medicine, said the government should finance research to develop standardized measures of sexual orientation and gender identity — “one’s basic sense of being a man, woman or other gender, such as transgender.”

Gay people often face “barriers to equitable health care,” decline to seek care in times of need and receive substandard care when they seek it, the report said.

“Fearing discrimination and prejudice,” it said, “many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people refrain from disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity to researchers and health care providers.”

In addition, the report said, many doctors lack the necessary training. “Medical schools teach very little about sexuality in general and little or nothing about the unique aspects of lesbian, gay and bisexual health,” it said.

The panel said the National Institutes of Health should strongly encourage researchers to include “sexual and gender minorities” in studies whenever possible, just as they include women, blacks, Asian-Americans and Hispanics.

In its report, which offers a comprehensive survey of information about the health of gay Americans, the panel made these points:

·          “On average, men tend to show greater interest in sex and express a desire to engage in sex more frequently than women. These patterns appear to occur in both heterosexual and homosexual populations.”

·          Gay youths and adults are typically well adjusted and mentally healthy, but some research indicates that they are more likely to be depressed, have suicidal thoughts and attempt suicide.

·          “Lesbians and bisexual women may be at higher risk for breast cancer than heterosexual women.”

·          Some studies suggest that long-term use of hormone therapy by transgender people may increase their risk for cancer, but more research is needed.

·          In addition, the report said, “Some research suggests that lesbians and bisexual women have a higher risk of obesity than heterosexual females.” Lesbians may also have higher rates of smoking and alcohol consumption than heterosexual women, it said.

A version of this article appeared in print on April 1, 2011, on page A16 of the New York edition.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/01/health/policy/01gays.html?_r=1&ref=research

IOM REport Published

The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding

Released:

March 31, 2011

Type:

Consensus Report

Topics:

Select Populations and Health Disparities, Biomedical and Health Research, Health Services, Coverage, and Access

Activity:

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities

Board:

Board on the Health of Select Populations

At a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals—often referred to under the umbrella acronym LGBT—are becoming more visible in society and more socially acknowledged, clinicians and researchers are faced with incomplete information about their health status. While LGBT populations often are combined as a single entity for research and advocacy purposes, each is a distinct population group with its own specific health needs. Furthermore, the experiences of LGBT individuals are not uniform and are shaped by factors of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographical location, and age, any of which can have an effect on health-related concerns and needs. Researchers still have a great deal to learn and face a number of challenges in understanding the health needs of LGBT populations.

To help assess the state of the science, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asked the IOM to evaluate current knowledge of the health status of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender populations; to identify research gaps and opportunities; and to outline a research agenda to help NIH focus its research in this area. The IOM finds that to advance understanding of the health needs of all LGBT individuals, researchers need more data about the demographics of these populations, improved methods for collecting and analyzing data, and an increased participation of sexual and gender minorities in research. Building a more solid evidence base for LGBT health concerns will not only benefit LGBT individuals, but also add to the repository of health information we have that pertains to all people.

Available at http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2011/The-Health-of-Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-and-Transgender-People.aspx  Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/

Is This The Biggest 48 Hrs Ever for LGBT Health?

Posted on March 31, 2011 by lgbttobacco Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/

Scout, Ph.D., Network Director

Scout

Director, Network for LGBT Health Equity, The Fenway Institute, Boston, MA

Report issued by Institute of Medicine on March 31, 2011.

Today at 11 am sharp the feds released the long awaited Institute of Medicine Report (IOM) on LGBT Health, or as we’re calling it in Twitterland #LGBTIOM. This report finally brings the often forgotten subject of LGBT health firmly into the light of day. Changes may or may not come from it, but we will never have to work as hard again to prove LGBT health disparities exist. Now we can just say, read all about it. I waited over my computer till 11 am thinking I was itching to read every inch of the tome. But apparently what I was really more interested in was, how much press was this getting? Luckily my home organization, The Fenway Institute, brought in some expert help to make sure press was gotten, the great folk at Renna Communications. Two of our scientists, including one of my mentors, Judy Bradford, helped write the book, so it’s good to get that news out. See our special page on it here. But it’s not all about press, first step was scan the executive summary to see what it said. Nice… it’s got lots of strong language saying collect LGBT data, enhance LGBT research, pay special attention to the subsets of LGBT, like LGBT of color, transgender people, bisexuals, etc. Love all that. See the IOM info and the short report summary here. Now onto the press, here’s just some of the coverage we know about so far: ABCNews.com Reuters Advocate Bay Windows DC Metro Weekly CNN Washington Blade LA Times What else? Send us a link at lgbthealthequity@gmail.com if you see it other places. Story about Tammy Baldwin planning to re-introducing her LGBT health bill tomorrow: http://lezgetreal.com/2011/03/rep-baldwin-to-reintroduce-bill-ending-healthcare-disparity-for-lgbt-americans/ And the Associated Press put out something that’s been picked up by lots of places, USAToday, etc.: http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/2011-03-31-study_of_transgender_N.htm or http://www.laramieboomerang.com/articles/2011/03/31/ap/us/us_med_gay_health.txt But the news doesn’t stop there, it was also announced at the press conference that NIH appointed an LGBT research liaison!! Love that, because we’ve been complaining to them for a while that their reception to LGBT research has been lukewarm at best. (See our testimony to them here.) But wait, there’s more… tomorrow, did you catch that it looks like Rep. Tammy Baldwin might re-introduce her well-thought out bill on LGBT health? Let’s hope that comes through, maybe it can ride some of this momentum and pass. And last, and certainly not least, tomorrow at 1:30 HHS officials are inviting insiders and out to a call ostensibly for LGBT health week, but rumor is it’ll be more than good tidings. *rubs hands* I can’t wait. Oh, and as the cherry on our 48 hour LGBT health sundae, here’s Secty. Sebelius’ memo on the IOM release.  Yes, let the press roll on. Let the bloggers get on the train, retweet it yourself, post it on Facebook, let LGBT health have it’s day in the sun. It is about time.

Closing Gaps in Healthcare for Our Community: Op-Ed on IOM Report on LGBT Health

Posted on March 31, 2011 at http://lgbthealthequity.wordpress.com/ and reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/

by Scout, PhD

Network Director

Op-ed by Scout Crossposted from the Washington Blade: “Closing Gaps in Healthcare for Our Community“, March 31, 2011

“Don’t ever call an ambulance for me. I don’t care if I get hit by a car, let me die on the street. Just do not call an ambulance,” Arlene admonished me. I’d heard the horror story about the last time she went to a hospital so I couldn’t really blame her, but still, it was sad. No one should fear the medical system. But Arlene, like many other transgender people, has a learned and warranted fear of the medical system. Yet fear of the medical system isn’t the only problem out there.

As a cultural competency trainer, I know the stats all too well. Doctors and nurses feel free to openly express their personal disdain for LGBT people. Far from being a helping profession for us, accessing healthcare can be a minefield where political ideologies and personal prejudices trump the Hippocratic oath.

And while discrimination can be deadly, it is the more often the widespread ignorance that more often hurts us. Does a doctor know how to prescribe hormones for a transgender person? Have intake forms that don’t alienate LGBT people by asking about marriage? Have trained front-line staff who know to treat all with respect? Do the staff understand what health problems are more common for LGBT people? Do health care providers understand how to talk to us without stumbling and steering awkwardly clear of any issues of sexual orientation or gender identity? Lots of questions. And our community deserves not answers but solutions.

Well, I’m happy to say that this week the federal government made a major stride in both acknowledging and prioritizing LGBT health disparities. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the historic Institute of Medicine Report on LGBT Health. The Institute of Medicine imprimatur carries the highest regard among health professionals, so the mere existence of this report is a great step forward in prioritizing our health disparities. The report reviews the highest level of science available about our health disparities and makes strong suggestions for action at every level.

One of the most important suggestions is the simplest, count us. When the Census or health surveys don’t ask who is LGBT, it’s like locking us in the closet. It effectively hides our lives and all evidence of the disparities we struggle against. This is one simple step that LGBT advocates have been asking for ages and it is too long overdue.
I applaud the National Institutes of Health for commissioning this prestigious and comprehensive study, for not leaving transgender people behind, for taking due care to ferret out as much information as possible on LGBT communities of color. Each of these actions is a great stride. As the director of the Network for LGBT Health Equity I’ve been advocating for LGBT inclusion in health policy for many years, so trust me when I say, this is a truly historic moment.

But there is much to do. I think of my vulnerable young queer nephew and cousin. I don’t want them to take the path I did, and try to commit suicide. But I can see their isolation, I know how they struggle to find people who accept them. It’s going to take a lot to change their reality. So, at the end of the day we must remember this Institute of Medicine Report on LGBT health is just a book. The real change will come when federal officials, policymakers and medical providers take this book off their shelf and turn it into action. Action that cannot come a moment too soon.

Scout is the director of the Network for LGBT Health Equity at The Fenway Institute. A longtime LGBT activist, Scout is an openly transgender person living in a small town in Rhode Island and struggling to get his three kids through the trials of being a teenager.