Earlier today, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research hosted a webinar to look at the current state of available data on sexual orientation and gender identity and how the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) has played a key role in improving collection of this data.
The event, The Importance of CHIS in LGBT Research and Data Collection, featured a presentation by Gary Gates, the Blachford-Cooper Distinguished Scholar and research director at the UCLA Williams Institute. Dr. Gates focused on how CHIS, a comprehensive population-based health survey, has been collecting sexual orientation over the past decade. Over that time span, Dr. Gates said, public perception has been shifting and many states have passed legislation legalizing same-sex marriage and other benefits. The demographic data available through CHIS shows the impact of this shift in public perception, and Dr. Gates expressed excitement about continued improvement in the future, particularly in regards to gender identity data.
. @drgaryjgates "I can't tell you how important it is that CHIS has made the commitment to include gender identity in next survey"
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) June 17, 2015
Dr. Gates highlighted some specific trends over the past decade by looking at a variety of demographic data, including age, income, and race/ethnicity. He found that younger people and people of color are identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual at a higher rate than they were 10 years ago and that this is likely the result of changing societal perceptions.
. @drgaryjgates "Much more younger people identifying as LGB as opposed to 10 years ago" pic.twitter.com/3sjV0S8Ezx
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) June 17, 2015
. @drgaryjgates: LGB identity rising in comms of color over past 10 years. More social acceptance pic.twitter.com/rdDW8nm1az
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) June 17, 2015
He noted that as social acceptance grows, more people, particularly low-income individuals, will identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. As these data sets become more robust and reliable, more detailed strategies can be developed to target inequities. For example, LGBT individuals experience psychological distress at rates much higher than their counterparts.
. @drgaryjgates "LGBT people have higher rates of psychological distress than heterosexual counterparts" pic.twitter.com/qca3jmvv9E
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) June 17, 2015
For more information on mental health in this community, please refer to the California Reducing Disparities Project LGBTQ Strategic Planning Workgroup’s landmark report, First, Do No Harm: Reducing Disparities for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning Populations in California.
Dr. Gates also examined data on access to care. Over the past 10 years the uninsurance rates for same-sex couples has dropped considerably. Dr. Gates attributed this in large part to the increase in same-sex couples’ ability to receive joint benefits.
. @drgaryjgates: Uninsurance rate dropping among same-sex couples in California. Increased access to benefits. pic.twitter.com/FiN85ZaMWS
— CPEHN (@CPEHN) June 17, 2015
All in all, Dr. Gates was excited about the progress made over the last decade in collecting data on sexual orientation, thanks in large part to CHIS.