Council of Europe: new report reveals that LGBTI individuals face inadequate healthcare access and recommends solutions
The Council of Europe published a report called “Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health and Access to Healthcare for LGBTI People in Europe” that uncovers health inequalities between LGBTI individuals and the general population; according to the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), 16% of LGBTI people experienced discriminatory behaviors in healthcare and 46% did not disclose their sexual identity or sexual orientation due to the fear of prejudice and discrimination.
Currently, only eight member states (Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia and Spain) have inclusive non-discrimination laws that address sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. Additionally, the lack of data specific to LGBTI health needs interferes with informed policymaking, as many health surveys do not capture sexual orientation and gender identity, making these issues less visible.
The report suggests a range of strategies that aim to tackle these challenges. These include standardizing data collection, providing inclusive healthcare training, and developing targeted health programs for LGBTI needs. Moreover, the Council of Europe Committee recommends broadening equality laws to guarantee inclusive healthcare access, adopting human rights-based policies and applying a “Health in All Policies” approach to reduce disparities across different sectors.
As LGBTI individuals, especially younger ones and those who have to endure different forms of discrimination and marginalization, experience higher rates of mental health issues compared to the general population, the report recommends the integration of LGBTI-specific issues into national mental health policies and the ban of conversion practices.
The report concludes by stating that LGBTI individuals across Europe continue to experience worse health outcomes and that collaboration and sustained funding are key strategies in order to achieve fair and inclusive healthcare for LGBTI individuals.