Issue
In response to a Congressional request, the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) organized a Women’s Health Consensus Conference for October 2021 to address women’s health research at the NIH as well as specific conditions, such as rising maternal morbidity and mortality rates, increasing rates of chronic debilitating conditions in women, and stagnant cervical cancer survival rates.
Impact
Research shows that LBQ women and girls are more likely to experience a number of negative physical and mental health outcomes compared with heterosexual women and girls, including higher rates of fair or poor health, depression, and some lifetime chronic conditions. Many LBQ women report worrying about being stigmatized or discriminated against by health care providers, which may make them reluctant to seek needed care.
Summary
The comment documents findings from recent Williams Institute research on the population and prevalence of key health and socioeconomic outcomes among lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women and lesbian, bisexual, queer, and questioning (LBQQ) girls. Scholars present data showing multiple areas of vulnerability in the health and well-being of LBQ women and girls and highlight the need for sampling and measurement in maternal health and mortality research that includes sexual and gender minority women.