A recent Iowa survey of 567 LGBT+ Iowans found that 59% were not out to their healthcare providers, while 27% felt they had to teach a provider about LGBT+ health issues to receive important care.
Studies of this kind could help shed light on demonstrated health disparities between LGBT+ people and their straight counterparts. Lead researcher Paul Gilbert pointed out that while some research focusing on LGBT+ healthcare exists on the national level, there is little being done in specific states. Given the decentralization of much of healthcare policy, state-level research could be key to reducing already-recognized disparities at a national level.
Read more at The Gazette.