We Must Normalize LGBTQ+ Conversations About Health

In our communities, we see examples of perseverance, resilience, and endurance, but rarely do we address the toll this takes on the well-being of our familia. We created My Health Agenda to normalize conversations in the Latine and LGBTQ+ community because when it comes to getting the right care, resources and information to our community, communication is key. Our friends at Nielsen are constantly uncovering the data and insights to help us better understand where we can make the biggest impact on opening this line of communication and they’ve given us access to some of the data they’ve compiled from their Scarborough service. As part of the My Health Agenda mission, we’re able to share some of the data to help us progress in being more informed and proactive in addressing healthcare amongst our friends, familia and chosen family.

*Insights provided by Nielsen’s Scarborough MARS Healthcare Data. 

LGBTQ+ Health by the Numbers

The facts and figures* give us a great glimpse into the ways our LGBTQ+ community exercises self-care. Take for example one of the main reasons we’re taking care of our bodies: 42.7% of LGBTQ+ respondents shared that their reason for managing diet and nutrition is to achieve good health. LGBTQ+ are also 15% more likely to be vegan, meaning in our rainbow communities we’re paying attention to what we’re eating and how it affects us. However, LGBTQ+ respondents are 18% more likely to evaluate their diet at home as “unhealthy.” This describes the complex relationship that many of us have with the food we eat. However, when it comes to being active we’re doing pretty good at workin’ on our fitness: 81.8% of LGBTQ respondents have exercised at least once in the last 7 days.

When we take this all into account, it should be obvious that most of us are mindful of our diet and health in our own lives — so we should be able to use that as common ground to openly and genuinely address these topics with our rainbow communities. This should encourage people to reach out about what’s going on with their health situation because more likely than not, the queer person you’re talking to is going through something similar. It’s imperative that we inform ourselves better because LGBTQ are 12% more likely to trust the opinions of family and friends about health-related issues. What’s even more interesting is the role technology is playing in helping to expand healthcare options to rainbow communities.

LGBTQ Health and Innovation

The phones and gadgets we keep in our pockets to like and share on social media are also becoming more and more useful in helping LGBTQ+ persons with healthcare resources. To begin with, it would appear we are more comfortable navigating health through digital devices –  LGBTQ are 18% more likely to be more comfortable talking about health and wellness concerns online than face to face. Not only that but going online for resources is something that plays a huge part in our health journeys. As much as 54.3% of LGBTQ respondents say the internet is the first source they turn to when researching health and wellness and they are 17% more likely to trust the medical information other people share on social media. Which means the trend of trusting those in your circle about healthcare information is true in social media communities as well. And, when we are faced with getting care for ourselves, it’s also the internet that we’re turning to for guidance. LGBTQ are 15% more likely to conduct research online prior to a doctor’s appointment.

“Misinformation poses a threat to Hispanics, who are particularly vulnerable due to a greater reliance on social media and messaging platforms. Latinos have been disproportionately affected by COVID, so we are particularly concerned about our health” – Stacie de Armas SVP, Diverse Insights & Initiatives at Nielsen.

 Keeping this in mind, if we’re going to make it easier on our friends and loved ones to talk about their health, we need to understand the different sources of their information. It’s becoming more and more important to make sure we’re not just verifying and checking information for our own well-being, but we also have to be extra mindful that we’re accurate in the health-related information we’re sharing because that’s what many of our friends might be using to inform themselves.

A great example of what it looks like to deliver accurate health-related information is outlined in the Nielsen 2021 Hispanic Diverse Intelligence Series Report by Stacie de Armas SVP, Diverse Insights & Initiatives at Nielsen. “Misinformation poses a threat to Hispanics, who are particularly vulnerable due to a greater reliance on social media and messaging platforms. Latinos have been disproportionately affected by COVID, so we are particularly concerned about our health,” said de Armas. “It’s why we have to take personal responsibility to make sure that we are following trusted influencers who have the expertise and fact check each other in social media.” The report outlines the approach of medical practitioner and content creator Dr. Mauricio González-Arias, who has created a social media platform to dispel health-related myths and share accurate information around health. Having reputable and informed experts on the platforms our community is using to share information is essential to keeping conversations fact-based. So where is the best room for improvement?

 * Source: Nielsen Scarborough MARS Healthcare Module R1 2021

LGBTQ Health Conversations: Room for Growth

While the awareness of health and need to go online and gather info is there, in LGBTQ+ communities there is still room for growth to help us better address issues of healthcare. For example we need to talk more about health so we can be better at checking in on ourselves a normal part of our routine. Currently, 44% of LGBTQ haven’t had an annual physical in over a year and they’re more likely to have a pessimistic outlook regarding future health while 12% more likely to feel like they have no control over their health. This is concerning especially when you consider LGBTQ are 28% more likely to not participate in preventative healthcare. Financial concerns could play a role in this considering LGBTQ are 19% more likely to say the high cost of healthcare prevents them from being as healthy as they’d like. Clearly, there is work to do and elevating these healthcare conversations can only help.

* Source: Nielsen Scarborough MARS Healthcare Module R1 2021

Now Let’s Talk About it!

The best thing we can do to fight stigmas, get healthier and care for each other is to make it okay to have these conversations. On My Health Agenda, we opened the conversation by introducing people who represent different aspects of health, identity and culture to provide more real and relatable health-based conversations in media that we can all have in our own rainbow communities. Keep in mind we’re all in this together, but we won’t know that unless we talk about it with each other.