LGBT adults—particularly those of color—faced greater health and economic impacts in fall 2020 than non-LGBT adults

Researchers at the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law investigated how LGBTQ+ adults were impacted by the fall 2020 COVID-19 surge. They used survey data collected between August and December 2020 by Ipsos’ weekly Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index (a representative and probability-based online panel of U.S. adults). The report shows important variation by sexual orientation/gender identity and race/ethnicity. For instance, while LGBT and non-LGBT white adults had similar COVID-19 test positivity rates, rates were higher among non-LGBT adults of color, and highest among adults identifying as both LGBT and a person of color. LGBT adults were more likely to report having been laid off, furloughed, having problems affording basic household goods, and having problems paying rent or mortgage than non-LGBT adults. While 5.4 percent of non-LGBT white people reported being recently laid off, rates were increasingly higher among LGBT white people (10.4 percent), non- LGBT people of color (11.5 percent) and LGBT people of color (15 percent). The authors recommend specific and intentional efforts among federal and pharmaceutical stakeholders to address the needs of LGBT people while addressing accumulated distrust. #covid-19 #racialequity #workforce