Washington, D.C. — The Center for American Progress applauds today’s U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announcement of plans to collect data on the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people:
"Anecdotal evidence shows that LGBT people, particularly LGBT people of color, face a wide range of health disparities compared to the non-LGBT population," said Jeff Krehely, Director of LGBT Research and Communications at CAP. "These disparities are strongly related to discrimination in employment, relationship recognition, and health care access, as well as to social stigma and a lack of LGBT cultural competency among health care providers. HHS’s commitment to collecting data on the LGBT population will be incredibly helpful for researchers, policymakers, and service providers working to eliminate these health disparities.”
CAP Health Policy Analyst Kellan Baker stated, “Good data are essential for developing good health policies. Right now, we lack comprehensive national data on the health of LGBT people and the diversity of the LGBT population. As a result, current debates about health care access, quality of care, and health disparities are happening largely without any consideration of LGBT people. The department’s announcement today, and the rigorous process that HHS is initiating to ensure we can collect high-quality data, will help our nation prioritize the health and well-being of LGBT people and their families. I would like to especially thank Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for her leadership on this and many other health issues of priority concern to the LGBT community.”
CAP made a strong call for LGBT data collection in federal surveys in last year’s "Power of the President" report. CAP staff look forward to collaborating with HHS as it works to collect LGBT data and will also continue to engage with other federal agencies on this important issue.
To speak to Jeff Krehely or Kellan Baker on this HHS announcement, please contact Christina DiPasquale at 202.481.8181 or [email protected].
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