Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender LGBT+ (health and wellbeing needs in South Tyneside)

Smoking, alcohol and drugs

A quarter of gay and bisexual men currently smoke compared to 22 per cent of men in general.

More than two in five (42 per cent) gay and bisexual men drink alcohol on three or more days a week compared to 35 per cent of men in general.

Half of gay and bisexual men have taken drugs in the last year compared to just one in eight men in general.

General fitness and exercise

Over half of gay and bisexual men have a normal body mass index (BMI) compared to under a third of men in general.

Despite being more likely to have a normal BMI, just a quarter (25 per cent) of gay and bisexual men meet recommendations for 30 minutes or more of exercise five times or more per week compared to 39 per cent of men in general.

Mental health

In the last year, three per cent of gay men and five per cent of bisexual men have attempted to take their own life. Just 0.4 per cent of men in general attempted to take their own life in the same period.

One in sixteen (six per cent) gay and bisexual men aged 16 to 24 have attempted to take their own life in the last year. Less than one per cent of men in general aged 16 to 24 have attempted to take their own life in the same period.

One in fourteen gay and bisexual men deliberately harmed themselves in the last year compared to just 1 in 33 men in general who have ever harmed themselves.

One in six (15 per cent) gay and bisexual men aged 16 to 24 have harmed themselves in the last year compared to seven per cent of men in general aged 16 to 24 who have ever deliberately harmed themselves.

Eating disorders and body image

Thirteen per cent of gay and bisexual men have had a problem with their weight or eating in the last year compared to four per cent of men in general.

Two thirds of gay and bisexual men who have had a problem with their weight or eating have never sought help from a healthcare professional.

Sexual health and HIV

One in four gay and bisexual men have never been tested for any sexually transmitted Infection.

Three in ten gay and bisexual men have never had an HIV test in spite of early diagnosis now being a public health priority.

Discrimination in healthcare

A third of gay and bisexual men who have accessed healthcare services in the last year have had a negative experience related to their sexual orientation.

A third of gay and bisexual men are not out to their GP or healthcare professionals. Gay and bisexual men are more likely to be out to their manager, work colleagues, family and friends than their GP.

Domestic abuse

Half of gay and bisexual men have experienced at least one incident of domestic abuse from a family member or partner since the age of 16 compared to 17 per cent of men in general.

More than a third of gay and bisexual men have experienced at least one incident of domestic abuse in a relationship with a man.

Almost one in four gay and bisexual men have experienced domestic abuse from a family member, for example mother or father, since the age of 16.

Four in five gay and bisexual men who have experienced domestic abuse have never reported incidents to the police.

Cancer and common male health problems

Just a third of gay and bisexual men check their testicles monthly as recommended as a preventative measure against testicular cancer.

Just one in ten gay and bisexual men have ever discussed prostate or bowel cancer with a healthcare professional and only three per cent have ever discussed lung cancer.

Almost nine in ten gay and bisexual men have never discussed heart disease with a healthcare professional. Four in five have never discussed high blood pressure or high cholesterol with a healthcare professional.

Smoking, alcohol and drugs

Two thirds of lesbian and bisexual women have smoked compared to half of women in general. Just over a quarter currently smoke.

Nine in ten lesbian and bisexual women drink and 40 per cent drink three times a week compared to a quarter of women in general.

Lesbian and bisexual women are five times more likely to have taken drugs.

Over one in ten have taken cocaine, compared to three per cent of women in general.

General fitness and exercise

The BMI for lesbian and bisexual women is the same as women in general.

Half exercise three times a week.

Mental health

One in five lesbian and bisexual women have deliberately harmed themselves in the last year, compared to 0.4 per cent of the general population. Half of women under the age of 20 have self-harmed compared to one in fifteen of teenagers generally.

Five per cent have attempted to take their life in the last year and sixteen per cent of women under the age of 20 have attempted to take their life. ChildLine estimate that 0.12 per cent of people under 18 have attempted suicide.

One in five say they have an eating disorder, compared to one in 20 of the general population.

Sexual health and HIV

Less than half of lesbian and bisexual women have ever been screened for sexually transmitted infections.

Half of those who have been screened had an STI and a quarter of those with STIs have only had sex with women in the last five years.

Discrimination in healthcare

Half have had negative experiences in the health sector in the last year, despite the fact that it is now unlawful to discriminate against lesbian and bisexual women.

Half of lesbian and bisexual women are not out to their GP.

One in ten say that a healthcare worker ignored them when they did come out.

Just three in ten lesbian and bisexual women say that healthcare workers did not make inappropriate comments when they came out.

Just one in ten felt that their partner was welcome during a consultation.

Domestic abuse

One in four lesbian and bisexual women have experienced domestic violence, the same as women in general. In two thirds of cases, the perpetrator was another woman.

Four in five have not reported incidents of domestic violence to the police and of those that did, only half were happy with their response.

Cancer screening

Fifteen per cent of lesbian and bisexual women over the age of 25 have never had a cervical smear test, compared to seven per cent of women in general.

One in five who have not had a test have been told they are not at risk.

One in fifty have been refused a test.

One in twelve lesbian and bisexual women aged between 50 and 79 have been diagnosed with breast cancer, compared to one in twenty women in general.

Mental health problems

36% identified as having mental health issues.

Almost 1/5 identified as having a learning disability or impairment.

66% had used mental health services for reasons other than access to gender reassignment.

31% were currently using anti-depressant medication.

53% had self-harmed at least once.

33% had attempted suicide more than once; 3% had attempted more than 10 times.

Feelings relating to being trans

23 years was the average age at which people started to live part time in their felt gender.

31 years was the average age at which people started to live full time in their felt gender.

13% did not want to undergo any form of transition.

Negative experiences

19% had experienced sexually harassment for being trans within the last year.

6% had being raped for being trans within the last year.

17% had experienced domestic violence for being trans within the last year.

52% had experience problems with work due to being trans.

19% had been homeless at some point.

Lifestyle behaviours

24% had used drugs in the last 12 months.

19% were current smokers.

62% responded to questions which suggested alcohol dependency.

Experience of services

65% had experienced at least one negative experience of general physical health services.

63% had experienced at least one negative experience of mental health services.

Mental health

4 times more likely to suffer major depression.

3 times more likely to be assessed with generalised anxiety disorder.

Males are seven times more likely to have attempted suicide and three times more likely to have suicidal intent.

Healthy lifestyles

Lesbian and bisexual girls are 10 times more likely to smoke than their heterosexual peers.

Illicit drugs may be an increased risk for some young gay and bisexual young men.

Lesbian and bisexual girls are twice as likely to have consumed alcohol in the past month.

Lesbian and bisexual girls are one and a half times more likely to have engaged in binge drinking in the last year.

Lesbian and bisexual girls are nearly three times as likely to have consumed a first alcoholic drink before age 12.

Young LGBT+ people are three times more likely to use MDMA / ecstasy.

Young LGBT+ people are eight times more likely to use ketamine.

Young LGBT+ people are 26 times more likely to use crystal methamphetamine.

Victimisation

78% of LGBT+ people under the age of 18 had experienced verbal abuse.

23% of LGBT+ people under the age of 18 had been attacked by another pupil.

Young LGBT+ people are more likely to suffer from bullying at school than their peers although rates have fall over the past 15 years with the number of schools explicitly saying that homophobic bullying is wrong doubling. However, the use of homophobic language remains endemic (Stonewall, 2015a).

Sexual health

Young gay men are becoming sexually active from the age of 14 and may not be aware of the risks from unprotected sex.