Prevalence of LGBTQ+ identity among people with disabilities and long-term services and supports needs in the United States.

BACKGROUND

People with disabilities and sexual orientation and gender identity minority individuals are both considered health disparity populations, but there has been limited work assessing the prevalence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) identity among people with disabilities. This study examines the prevalence of LGBTQ+ identity among people with disabilities, with a particular focus on people with long-term services and supports (LTSS) needs.

METHODS

We conducted secondary analysis of 2022 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a United States population-based, cross-sectional telephone survey administered annually to adults over age 18 residing in non-institutional settings. Our sample includes 272,124 respondents from 31 states. We used chi-square tests to compare participants with no disability and any disability, as well as people who reported a disability related to activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), who were considered to have LTSS needs.

RESULTS

13% of individuals with a disability in the sample, including 16% of individuals who are disabled and have long-term service and support (LTSS) needs, identify as LGBTQ+, compared to 7% of non-disabled respondents. Disabled people who report LTSS needs have the highest rate of LGBTQ+ identification, and there is a significant association between LTSS need and LGBTQ+ identity.

CONCLUSIONS

Respondents to BRFSS with disabilities report LGBTQ+ identity at higher rates than non-disabled individuals. Disabled people with LTSS needs report the highest rate of LGBTQ+ identity. Improved prevalence estimates for this intersectional population can support efforts to make healthcare, services, and programs more accessible and inclusive.