People who identify as LGBTQ+ often have unique health care needs. However, this community continues to experience health inequities that make it more difficult to access individualized, high-quality care—ultimately impacting health outcomes.
Across key areas such as behavioral health, preventive care, and access to culturally competent providers, disparities persist. Behavioral health challenges—often shaped by stigma, discrimination, and broader social determinants of health—remain particularly urgent. At the same time, gaps in preventive care and ongoing barriers to access can delay diagnosis, limit treatment, and contribute to worsening outcomes over time. In fact, preventive care helps reduce the risk of disease, disability, and death, yet many individuals still miss recommended screenings and routine care.
Compared with the broader population, LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to encounter challenges finding providers who understand them and make them feel seen and heard. This lack of understanding, coupled with fear of discrimination and lower rates of health insurance coverage, often leads to delayed or avoided care—resulting in missed preventive visits that could help identify health risks earlier or address existing concerns. For example, many LGBTQ+ individuals report experiencing discrimination in health care settings, which can discourage engagement with primary and preventive care. For behavioral health needs, delayed or avoided care can lead to more severe or prolonged conditions, further widening disparities.
Below, we take a closer look at each of these areas—behavioral health, preventive care, and access—and explore how the health care industry can help remove barriers and improve outcomes for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Why LGBTQ+ individuals face higher mental health risks
Stigma and discrimination put LGBTQ+ people at greater risk of developing suicidal thoughts, mood disorders, anxiety, eating disorders, alcohol and substance misuse, and tobacco use. These disparities are closely tied to systemic barriers—such as access to culturally competent care and provider bias—that continue to impact mental health outcomes across underserved populations.
Research shows that LGBTQ+ adults are significantly more likely to experience unmet mental health needs, with nearly half reporting that they did not receive the care they needed in recent years—often due to cost or access barriers. They are also more likely to report poorer overall mental health and are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to experience severe mental health crises, including outcomes such as hospitalization or self-harm.
Why preventive care matters for LGBTQ+ health
Preventive care plays a critical role in identifying health concerns early, improving outcomes, and reducing long-term health risks. In fact, preventive care helps reduce the risk of disease, disability, and death, yet many individuals still miss recommended screenings and routine care. Research shows that people who identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to develop certain health conditions—while also facing barriers that can delay or prevent care.
For example, lesbian and bisexual women are at greater risk for breast and certain gynecological cancers but are less likely to be screened than their heterosexual counterparts. More broadly, LGBTQ+ individuals may be up to 25% less likely to undergo recommended cancer screenings, including colonoscopies, Pap smears, and mammograms. Broader research also shows barriers to cancer prevention and early detection in LGBTQ+ populations, often driven by gaps in access and provider understanding. Additionally, many LGBTQ+ individuals report experiencing discrimination in health care settings, which can lead to delays in seeking primary and preventive care. These access challenges contribute to increased risk for conditions such as heart disease and other chronic illnesses, where early detection and routine care are essential.
Employers and plan sponsors can play an important role in closing these gaps by reducing barriers to preventive care—encouraging regular screenings, promoting primary care engagement, and ensuring access to inclusive, culturally competent providers.
How plan sponsors can improve access and close gaps in care for LGBTQ+ employees
Plan sponsors can help close gaps in care by implementing strategies to improve access to health care for LGBTQ+ individuals – particularly for preventive care. Strategies may include expanding in-network access to LGBTQ+ friendly health providers, providing training and educational resources to in-network clinicians, and offering greater access to education and resources for LGBTQ+ patients and their caregivers about how to navigate the health care system. Designing inclusive benefits is also key, with employers able to make meaningful impact by supporting gender-affirming care, family-building benefits, and access to LGBTQ+ affirming health providers.
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Originally published on 3/19/2024 and updated on 7/6/2026.
