Dr. Wilson Figueroa, College of Public Health, Health Services Management and Policy
SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
The Columbus, OH greater metropolitan area (GMA: Franklin, Delaware, Licking, Madison, Pickaway, Union, Fairfield counties) has the 25th largest LGBTQ+ population of any metropolitan area in the United States. Despite this, a formal community health needs assessment (CHNA) to assess the health status and unmet health needs of this population has never been conducted in the Columbus GMA. This is problematic as CHNAs are foundational for developing systematic efforts to improve community health by triangulating evidence from community members and providers on the health status of priority populations and the services accessible to them. In Columbus, OH specifically, 4.4% (or about 67,000) of adults identify as LGBTQ+, making it the city with the largest LGBTQ+ population in the state. Of that 67,000, 27.7% are aged 18-35, making it the largest subgroup of LGBTQ+ individuals living in Columbus. Previous research has indicated that LGBTQ+ young adults aged 18-35 are particularly high risk for poor health outcomes compared to their same gender heterosexual counterparts. Building on existing collaborations between a multidisciplinary team of Ohio State University researchers and community partners, we will conduct the first comprehensive CHNA of LGBTQ+ young adults in the Columbus GMA. In partnership with our community advisory board (CAB) we will recruit, at minimum, N=600 participants into a survey study. Data will be collected using nonprobability sampling methods. Researchers will work with the CAB to develop culturally sensitive recruitment protocols that oversample subpopulations of underrepresented LGBTQ+ (e.g., transgender individuals, BIPOC+). Findings from the proposed CHNA will identify priority health issues; adverse SDoH affecting LGBTQ+ young adults; and resources that can be leveraged in future research implementing synergistic, multilevel intervention strategies to improve population health locally.