Supporting LGBTQ+ Communities Through Inclusive Data

In June this year, we released an updated LGBTQ+ Health Profile for Dane County. Inclusive, disaggregated data is vitally important to create a future where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to thrive. 

Part of Public Health's role is to help leaders and community members understand where there are gaps in community well-being, and help rebalance them with programs, services or policies that support better health for all. We also use these findings to help inform our priorities and outreach at Public Health Madison & Dane County. 

Our LGBTQ+ neighbors do not – as a whole – enjoy the same level of health as the rest of the community. Data reports like this one help shine a light on these gaps, explore their root causes, and illuminate opportunities to make needed change.

Take a look at the report to learn about the health of our LGBTQ+ communities.

Read the report

The experiences of LGBTQ+ people in Dane County differ with respect to social drivers of health, mental health, and substance use. 

The data highlights important health markers for LGBTQ+ people in Dane County and Wisconsin, such as:

• Both LGBTQ+ adults and LGBTQ+ young people in Dane County are more likely to experience food insecurity. In Dane County, Black and Hispanic/Latino people also experience much higher levels of food insecurity than white people. 
• 28% of LGB people and 62% of trans people in Dane County experienced at least 14 poor mental health days in the past month— significantly different from non-LGBT people (11%).
• LGBT adults and youth in Dane County experience higher rates of depression than their straight, cisgender peers.
• In Wisconsin, LGBT adults report higher levels of lifetime opioid use.

LGBTQ+ health outcomes are bigger than individual people; they're rooted in systems.

Societal forces like homophobia, transphobia, and racism are the root causes of these health outcomes. Scientific research and the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ community members provide clear examples: 

• Same-sex couples are less likely to receive mortgage approvals and are often quoted higher rates. Transgender people report high rates of housing denial and eviction based on their gender identity.
• When LGBTQ+ youth experience affirming, welcoming environments and social inclusion, they tend to have better mental health outcomes.
• LGBTQ+ youth living in affirming states are less likely to binge drink than those in less supportive environments.

For everyone to have a fair shot at a healthy life, we need to start by changing our policies, institutions, and societies to be fair and just for everyone. 

We need better LGBTQ+ data to drive action. 

We create reports like this as a foundation to support change. Having a clear, unbiased understanding of the health outcomes that exist in our community is the first step to guiding meaningful improvements. Data help us understand who is impacted so that communities, policymakers, and institutions can work together to advance change. 

We also need better local data on LGBTQ+ people, especially intersex people, trans/nonbinary/gender nonconforming people, and BIPOC LGBTQ+ people. You can see our full list of ideas to improve LGBTQ+ data in our report. 

Read the report