LGBTQ+ adults face poorer quality of life, socioeconomic status

A recent study in Finland has shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBTQ+) individuals aged 33‒35 years have a higher likelihood of being unpartnered, higher BMI, poorer self-rated health, lower socioeconomic status, and more functional limitations than heterosexual counterparts. However, no difference is seen in physical morbidity.

“The results of this study suggest that young LGBTQ+ adults living in Northern Finland are exposed to a higher number of health-related risk factors, have a poorer self-rated health and possibly a higher prevalence of certain autoimmune, allergy, and atopy-related diseases and symptoms, but are not at an elevated risk of overall physical morbidity compared to cisgender heterosexuals,” the investigators said.

This study obtained self-reported data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. Health parameters assessed were as follows: current marital status, socioeconomic status, BMI, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, current self-rated health, functional limitations due to medical conditions in the past 6 months, and lifetime physical morbidity.

The investigators compared outcomes between LGBTQ+ and cisgender heterosexual participants using independent samples’ t-tests, Mann‒Whitney U-tests for non-normal distributions, and binary logistic regression. [J Sex Med 2026;doi:10.1093/jsxmed/qdaf366]

A total of 2,841 participants were included, of whom 2,721 (95.8 percent, 63.2 percent women) were cisgender heterosexual and 120 were LGBTQ+ individuals. Among the LGBTQ+ participants, 103 (85.8 percent) belonged to the cisgender sexual minority group and 17 to the gender minority group.

Self-rated health was significantly poorer in LGBTQ+ adults than cisgender heterosexual participants in both assigned female at birth (AFAB; p<0.001) and assigned male at birth (AMAB; p=0.030) groups. LGBTQ+ individuals were also more often unpartnered (AFAB: p=0.003; AMAB: p<0.001).

Furthermore, AFAB LGBTQ+ participants had lower socioeconomic status (p=0.012), higher BMI (p=0.006), and greater functional limitations (p=0.022), while AMAB LGBTQ+ adults were more likely to be nonsmokers compared with cisgender heterosexual participants (p=0.026). On the other hand, physical morbidity did not significantly differ between groups.

Marriage

Previous studies have shown that being married or in a relationship and the quality of marriage are associated with better health across different populations. [Maturitas  2017;100:64-69; Personal Soc Psychol Bull 2024;51:1648-1663; Annu rev Clin Psychol 2017;13:421-443; Psychol Bull 2014;140:140-187]

“Marriage seems to benefit also the health of LGBTQ+ population,” the investigators said. [Demography 2020;57:599-626; Gerontologist 2017;57:S50-S62]

“Consistent with the present study, previous research has indicated that LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to be unpartnered compared to their heterosexual counterparts,” they added. [Gerontologist 2023;63:338-349; Am J Public Health 2012;102:e16-e21]

Additionally, previous studies reported how socioeconomic status in both childhood and adulthood could affect health outcomes later in life. [Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019;16:281; J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2018;73(2):349–360

Other studies also observed lower rates of employment among LGBTQ+ individuals and a lower socioeconomic status for lesbian and bisexual women than cisgender heterosexual women. [Am J Public Health 2010;100:1953-1960; Am J Prev Med 2013;44:612-621; Am J Public Health 2016;106:314-320]

“Previous studies, together with the present findings, suggest that LGBTQ+ population faces a greater risk of experiencing discrimination, adverse health behaviors, and poorer physical health outcomes,” the investigators said.

“Combined with challenges in accessing healthcare services and LGBTQ+-related discrimination by healthcare providers, these factors should be major concerns in healthcare,” they added.