Publication type
Report
Authors
Publication date
June 1, 2023
Summary:
As part of the Public Health Division’s work to improve the understanding of the diverse communities of Birmingham, we are developing a series of evidence summaries to improve awareness of these communities and their needs.
The Gay and Other Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) Community Health Profile identifies and summarises the national and local evidence concerning the health, lifestyle behaviours and wider determinants of health that affect the gay and other MSM communities. Although the focus of this report was health inequalities among the gay and other MSM communities in Birmingham, the limited available information on health inequalities has resulted in data being used from the UK and internationally where available.
This report covers health topics throughout the life course from childhood to ageing and dying well and includes chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The report also covers protect and detect topics such as screening and vaccinations, as well as other themes such as knowledge and understanding of health issues affecting the gay and other MSM communities.
There has been evidence of health inequalities between different community groups across the UK for some time, some of which have been exacerbated by the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This Community Health Profile aims to unpack some of these issues, with a focus on the gay and other MSM communities.
Much of the data for examining health outcomes in this profile has been taken from open-source research and health records. It is worth noting that the sample sizes, coverage, and quality for some studies are imperfect. The picture is complex not only between different community groups but also across different conditions. Understanding and knowledge is also limited by a lack of good quality data. This health profile aims to highlight the available health data and the current gaps in our knowledge and understanding.
Subjects
Link
Notes
Additional notes: authors assisted by Ms. Aki Ho, Ms. Sara Bhandari, Ms. Gillian Gregory, Dr Tosin Olabisi and Ms. Marta Tseneva. Contributors: Dr Justin Varney, Helen Harrison, Ricky Bhandal, Joseph Merriman, Jordan Francis, Dr Sara Croxford. Reviewer: Dr Katy Town.
References: Booker, C.L. and Meads, C. (2021) 'Sexual orientation and the incidence of COVID-19: evidence from Understanding Society in the UK Longitudinal Household Study', Healthcare, 9(8):937. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9080937
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