• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Family Health Corner

News That Affects Your Family's Health

FAMILY HEALTH CORNER
News That Affects Your Family's Health

  • Home
  • About/Contact
  • CHILDREN
  • HEALTH NEWS/TRENDS
  • INSURANCE
  • MEN
  • MENTAL HEALTH
  • WOMEN

Landmark NHS report lays bare LGB health inequalities in UK

July 6, 2021 by Staff Reporter

An NHS report as exposed the different health outcomes for LGB and straight people (Envato)

A landmark NHS report has laid bare the concerning health inequalities faced by lesbian, gay and bisexual adults in the UK.

The first-of-its-kind report, published today (6 July) by NHS Digital, is based on data from 1,132 LGB adults who participated in the Health Survey for England between 2011–2018.

The research found that LGB adults are more likely to drink more, smoke more and have worse mental health than the straight population, with worse health outcomes as a result.

Despite LGB adults being 12 per cent less likely to be overweight or obese than straight people, a higher proportion of LGB people (7 per cent) reported “bad” or “very bad” health, compared with heterosexual adults (6 per cent).

The prevalence of limiting longstanding illness was also higher at 26 per cent compared to 22 per cent.

When asked about alcohol consumption, 32 per cent of LGB adults reported drinking levels which put them at increased or higher risk of alcohol-related harm (more than 14 units per week) compared to 24 per cent of heterosexual adults.

A similar trend was found with smoking, with more LGB adults (27 per cent) than heterosexual adults (18 per cent) saying they are current smokers. The proportion of adults who currently smoked cigarettes was highest among LGB women at 31 per cent, and lowest among heterosexual women at 16 per cent.

LGB adults also had lower average mental wellbeing scores on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (48.9) compared with heterosexual adults (51.4), with LGB women reporting the lowest wellbeing scores (47.3).

Sixteen per cent of LGB adults said they had a mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorder as a longstanding condition; the proportion of heterosexual adults reporting the same was significantly lower at 6 per cent.

LGBT+ people continue to face barriers to healthcare in NHS

The NHS Digital’s Chief Statistician Chris Roebuck said: “One of the biggest benefits to collecting and publishing health data is the ability to highlight health inequalities.

“We’re pleased to be able to publish these LGB statistics for the first time, which show important differences in health status and behaviours.”

Campaigners have long highlighted the prevailing gap in healthcare provision for the LGBT+ community, who commonly face barriers not experienced by the straight population.

Back in 2019 a leading advisor on UK public health committee warned a parliamentary committee that the NHS is “absolutely” prejudiced against LGBT+ people, saying that problems largely stem from lack of funding and reporting, improper training and ingrained prejudice.

Queer women in particular often struggle to be heard in healthcare settings, with lesbian and bisexual women’s health said to be “invisible” in the UK discourse.

Last year the LBT Women’s Health Week reported that lesbian, bi and trans women are more likely to experience inappropriate questions or curiosity from healthcare professionals, with 8.1 per cent of lesbians, 5.9 per cent of bisexuals, 12.1 per cent of queer cis women and 15.4 per cent of trans women reporting this happening to them in the past year.

LBT+ women are also more likely to experience difficulties accessing mental-health services, with more than half of lesbian, bisexual, queer and trans women saying they found it “not easy” or “not easy at all” to access mental healthcare in the past year.

The same year, a major NHS England report disturbingly appeared to characterise being LGBT+ as a disability, highlighting the continuing ignorance and insensitivity LGBT+ people often endure from health professionals – which in turn leads to fewer doctors’ visits and poorer health outcomes.

###[ad_2]
Originally Appeared Here

Filed Under: WOMEN

Primary Sidebar

More to See

Medical startup has Stonington native in mind

Oct. 6—When over 100 people gather on Tuesday, Oct. 12, at Stonington Country Club for the first Andrew Heylmun Invitational golf tournament, they'll … [Read More...] about Medical startup has Stonington native in mind

Walking your way: NAMI hosting virtual walk for mental health this weekend | News, Sports, Jobs

MARQUETTE — There’s never a bad time to think about your mental health: Where it stands, how you can improve it, and where to go for help if you need … [Read More...] about Walking your way: NAMI hosting virtual walk for mental health this weekend | News, Sports, Jobs

18 ft Purple Crush Water Slide Rental

https://abouttobounce.com - BOOK YOUR Inflatable Party Rental from About To Bounce Inflatables, TODAY! Inflatable Bounce House and Inflatable Water … [Read More...] about 18 ft Purple Crush Water Slide Rental

Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | About/ Contact
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Copyright © 2022 · FAMILY HEALTH CORNER . Log in