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Gay Lesbian and Bisexual Adults at Greater Risk from COVID-19

Higher prevalence of underlying health conditions than heterosexuals cited

Bloomberg/Getty Images The odds of contracting a severe case of appear to be greater for American adults who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual than for heterosexuals, according to a new report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the study, published in , CDC researchers found that a greater proportion of gays, lesbians and bisexuals than heterosexuals report having underlying health conditions and behaviors associated with a higher risk of contracting severe COVID-19 illness. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. The disparity existed across all the and behaviors for gays, lesbians and bisexuals, although not equally. The top 11 in ranked order were: current asthma sufferers, , kidney disease, current smokers, past asthma sufferers, stroke, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and hypertension. The study also found that disparities differed when race and ethnicity were considered. In particular, the study found among Hispanics a substantially wider gap in the proportion of gays, lesbians and bisexuals with underlying conditions. The study also found variations in how the underlying conditions and behaviors stacked up within racial and ethnic communities: For whites, the top conditions (in ranked order) were: current asthma sufferers, kidney disease, COPD, current smokers and past asthma sufferers.

Among Blacks, the top conditions (in ranked order) were: kidney disease, COPD, stroke, current asthma sufferers, current smokers and past asthmas sufferers.

For Hispanics, the top conditions (in ranked order) were: COPD, current asthma sufferers, stroke, past asthma sufferers and current smokers.

For others, including Asians and American Indians/Alaskan Natives, the top conditions (in ranked order) were: current asthma sufferers, stroke, cancer, heart disease and past asthma sufferers.

Black Hispanic LGBTQ adults of particular concern

The researchers note that and in the U.S. have already been shown to be disproportionately affected by the pandemic. In addition, stigmatization and discrimination faced by people because of their sexual orientation can make members of the LGBTQ community especially vulnerable to illness due to, among other reasons, lack of economic security and limited access to health care. The combination is “of particular concern,” researchers say. "Persons who are members of both sexual minority and racial/ethnic minority groups might therefore experience a convergence of distinct social, economic, and environmental disadvantages that increase chronic disease disparities and the risk for adverse COVID-19–related outcomes,” the report says. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. similarly found that older LGBTQ New Yorkers face steeper barriers to health care than their non-LGBTQ counterparts that put them at risk of experiencing COVID-19 more acutely, including: poor physical and mental health, alcohol and tobacco use, HIV, and cancer. The report, which also received support from AARP Foundation, found that about 40 percent of LGBTQ respondents in their 60s and 70s reported that their health care provider did not know about their sexual orientation. Little national data is available on the sexual orientation of people diagnosed with COVID-19, according to CDC researchers, hampering any direct examination of how COVID-19 may affect the LBGTQ community differently from the cisgender (heterosexual) majority. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > "Inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity data in COVID-19 surveillance and other data collections could improve knowledge about disparities in infections and adverse outcomes among sexual and gender minority populations, overall and by race/ethnicity,” the CDC report says. For the study, CDC researchers combined data from three years of health-related telephone surveys (2017-2019) conducted in up to 31 states that included a question about sexual orientation. Among the combined 643,956 survey participants, 4.7 percent identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual. The study notes that the number of respondents identifying as transgender or nonbinary was too small for reliable estimates. More on health AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS