Sexual Orientation Disparities in Risk Factors for Adverse COVID-19-Related Outcomes, by Race/Ethnicity — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2017–2019

To begin bridging the gap in knowledge about COVID-19 risk among sexual minority adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual adults in the prevalence of underlying conditions with strong or mixed evidence of associations with severe COVID-19-related illness, by using data from the 2017–2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Collecting data on sexual orientation in COVID-19 surveillance and other studies would improve knowledge about disparities in infection and adverse outcomes by sexual orientation, thereby informing more equitable responses to the pandemic.

Resource Details

• Population: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Persons
• Setting/Context of Implementation: Community
• Topics of Practice: Data Collection and Analysis
• Outcomes of Interest: Reduction of Health Disparities
• Level of Evidence: Promising
• Tools or Materials Included in Resource: No
• Social Determinants of Health: Social and Community Context
• Outside of US: No