- 275 key informants from 50 cities participated in the first study allowing comparison of LGBTI+ health equity across four regions – Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
- Study outcomes exposed health inequities and numerous other challenges facing LGBTI+ populations, including discrimination in criminal justice systems.
- Report concludes with recommendations for local and national governments, providers of care and health systems, community-based organizations, and international actors.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (August 18, 2021) – Results from IAPAC’s groundbreaking study, LGBTI+ Health Equity: A Report of 50 Fast-Track Cities, were announced today during Copenhagen 2021 (WorldPride). The research, which gathered data from four geographic regions, focused on urban LGBTI+ health equity through surveys of 275 key informants who work closely with LGBTI+ populations in 50 cities.
Among the study’s revelations was the fact that no region came close to perfect on LGBTI+ health equity indicators, including quality of life, access to care, or nondiscrimination. Moreover, the average global quality of life score for LGBTI+ communities across the 50 cities was 3.2 on a scale of 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent). In terms of access to care, globally, HIV-related services scored a 3.8 on a scale of 1 to 5, but mental healthcare scored just 2.8 and gender-affirming care scored 2.7.
“We cannot adequately address HIV and other health conditions without including LGBTI+ populations, and we cannot adequately serve LGBTI+ populations unless we understand the diversity and complexity of these communities and their needs,” said Dr. José M. Zuniga, President/CEO of IAPAC and the Fast-Track Cities Institute, and the study’s senior investigator. “Those of us working in the field of health and in any other topic area relevant to LGBTI+ health equity must recommit ourselves to working holistically to end the disparities these communities face.”
The report also revealed the clear lack of disaggregated data on LGBTI+ individuals, particularly populations beyond sexual minority men. And, while the research showed a marked resilience among LGBTI+ communities in each of the cities studied, the underlying stigma, discrimination, and lack of visibility that perpetuate health and other inequities remain largely the same around the world.
LGBTI+ Health Equity: A Report of 50 Fast-Track Cities was made possible by a grant from ViiV Healthcare. To download the report: https://bit.ly/3iU5mwn.
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About the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
IAPAC is the largest association of clinicians and allied health professionals working to end the epidemics of HIV, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis by 2030. IAPAC is also a core technical partner of the Fast-Track Cities initiative and the Secretariat for its Fast-Track Cities Institute (https://www.ftcinstitute.org/). For more information about IAPAC and our global activities, please visit: https://www.iapac.org/
