It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected our world tremendously. While each population experiences the pandemic differently, research has shown certain groups may be more impacted than others.

Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning (LGBTQ+) have reported different experiences, in some cases more severe, than heteronormative populations. Discover more about the areas of the pandemic that have affected the LGBTQ+ community differently.* 

Why Is the LGBTQ+ community at higher risk for impact?

Limited early data suggests LGBTQ+  individuals may be more impacted by the pandemic due to:

• Higher rates of comorbidities
• Working in highly affected industries such as healthcare and restaurants/food service
• Living on average or below incomes compared to non-LGBT individuals
• Experiencing stigma and discrimination related to sexual orientation and/or gender identity
• Less likely to have health coverage (for transgender individuals)

How has the pandemic affected LGBTQ+ individuals’ mental health?

A community that had lower incomes and more mental health concerns pre-pandemic, the higher percentage of LGBTQ+ individuals experiencing permanent or temporary job loss only worsened their mental health struggles.

One study analyzed the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals during the pandemic and found:

• Compared to 49% of cisgender or heterosexual people, 74% of LGBTQ+ individuals say the worry and stress from the pandemic have negatively impacted their mental health.
• LGBTQ+ are also twice as likely to say this negative impact has been significant. 

How does the LGBTQ+ community’s view of COVID-19 differ from other populations?

Early data has unearthed the following statistics while examining the unique perspectives of the LGBTQ+ community’s view of COVID. 

• More LGBTQ+ adults believe the news has underestimated the seriousness of the pandemic (34% v. 23%). 
• More LGBTQ+ individuals are worried that they or someone in their family will get sick from COVID-19 (74% v. 67%). 
• More LGBTQ+ adults see receiving the vaccine as part of everyone’s responsibility to protect the health of others (75% v. 48%), while greater shares of non-LGBTQ+ people see vaccination as a personal choice (49% v 24%).
• More LGBTQ+ individuals report more long-term willingness to follow socially distancing guidelines than non-LGBT individuals (85% v. 69%).

What implications can be made from the research findings?

The LGBTQ+ community faces increased economic barriers, more comorbidities, higher risk for mental health concerns, and higher degrees of worry regarding COVID-19. With all these factors, it would be helpful to have targeted vaccine outreach to the LGBTQ+ populations as many also face barriers to accessing medical care. 

*Dawson, L., Kirzinger, A., & Kates, J. (2021, April 13). The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBT People. KFF. https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/poll-finding/the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-lgbt-people/

Much about the novel coronavirus COVID-19 is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information about it can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but some “lag” may occur between scientific developments and our revisions.