CDC Report: Gay And Bisexual People More At Risk Of Severe COVID-19
A new report by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows gay and bisexual people are more at risk of severe COVID-19.
Released on Friday, the study drew data from the 2017 to 2019 Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System, which showed that members of sexual minority groups were more prone to risk factors that led to worse outcomes from contracting COVID-19.
These risk factors include asthma, stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity, smoking, diabetes, and hypertension.
Additionally, studies show LGBTQIA+ people, like other marginalised groups, face greater risks of unemployment and housing discrimination, higher rates of substance abuse, and greater obstacles to medical care access, which all lead to poorer health outcomes.
Responding to the report, Alphonso David, president of the Human Rights Campaign, is calling for federal and state data collection on how the pandemic has impacted the LGBTQIA+ community.
“This report affirms what LGBTQ advocates and organisations have known all along: that our community is at greater risk and disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 health crisis,” David stated in a press release.
We look forward to more research on the risks for transgender people and people living with HIV, who also share higher risk factors,” David added.
