Health & Well Being
Gays and Lesbians Included in Federal Health Plan
Alternative 101: Tackling the winter blues
Health & Wellbeing
Gays and Lesbians Included in Federal Health Plan
by Marty Rouse
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Earlier this year, the US Department of Health and Human Services released its 10-year health promotion and disease prevention plan “Healthy People 2010.”
For the first time in the 20-year history of this document, with goals to increase the healthy years of life of all Americans and to eliminate health disparities, the needs and challenges faced by lesbians and gay men are specifically addressed.
Ten years ago, HHS cited health disparities among four categories: race/ethnicity, gender, geographic location, and income/education.
This year, HHS added physical disability and sexual orientation to the list, citing enough scientific research to state that these two groups are or appear to be at greater risk for several diseases and/or unhealthy behaviors.
“America’s gay and lesbian population comprises a diverse community with disparate health concerns,” states the document.
Major health issues for gay men are HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, depression, and suicide. Some evidence suggests lesbians have higher rates of smoking, obesity, alcohol abuse, and stress than heterosexual women. The issues surrounding personal, family, and social acceptance of sexual orientation can place a significant burden on mental health and personal safety.”
The addition of sexual orientation to the list of factors that may lead to health disparities has the potential to increase the attention paid to lesbian and gay health issues by not just the federal government, but also by state and local governments, foundations, researchers, and lesbian, and gay organizations.
How can this be accomplished? Many state health departments create their own ten-year health agendas by using HHS’ Healthy People 2010 as a model. More funding could be made available for research, prevention, data collection, infrastructure
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will soon award a historic and sizable grant of at least $250,000 annually for at least three years to a lesbian and gay organization to reduce smoking among lesbians and gay men.
The Health Resources and Services Administration is considering a significant effort to fund lesbian and gay primary care clinics. They would be funded with new dollars, not taking any funds from HIV/AIDS. In addition, HRSA is currently contacting many of the lesbian and gay community centers across the country, seeking to help them establish partnerships with local federally funded community health centers. This could translate to funding community centers to help them provide information and referral services to help gay people find competent quality primary care.
Vermont and neighboring Massachusetts are two of only a handful of states that have been addressing a wide-range of GLBT health issues long before the federal government. However, Healthy People 2010 provides a roadmap for every state to do even more. If lesbians and gay men have problems accessing quality health care, it is not unreasonable to ask community health centers to reach out to the GLBT community. After all, these centers should be reaching “underserved” populations.
As the federal government begins to address GLBT issues, Vermont can be a terrific partner. Working together, we as lesbians and gay men can look forward to healthier lives.
For more information, log onto www.health.gov/healthypeople or call 1-800-367-4725
Marty Rouse was an assistant to US Secretary of HHS Donna Shalala. He recently resigned his position to work in Vermont for the Democratic State Senate Campaign. He can be reached at martyrouse@aol.com.