Health and Well-being Among Sexual Minority People

Abstract

Invisibility is an issue that affects a number of minority groups. There can be an assumption that there is no difference between the minority group and the majority and no effort is made to check whether this assumption holds true. Even where there might be evidence to the contrary, this can be discounted, leading to minority group concerns being not reported or underreported. This marginalization forms part of the institutional discrimination that minority groups can face.

This chapter summarizes some of the best evidence available so far on the health, well-being, and experience of healthcare of UK people from the sexual minority communities. Research that is available shows, in general, worse physical and mental health and worse healthcare experiences for sexual minority people compared to heterosexuals. However, relatively little data collection has been done so far because of lack of, among other factors, funding, perceived need, staff willingness, or combinations of these factors. If government-funded research collected information on sexual orientation in a similar way to other demographic characteristics, this lack of information could be addressed very quickly.

Several measures should be introduced to address the physical and mental health needs that people from sexual (and gender) minorities face. There are considerable training needs of healthcare staff and schoolteachers around diversity issues which should be addressed. Training should use best evidence around how to effect change. These measures may be cost-saving over the longer term.