HEALTH SYSTEMS RESEARCH FOR EQUITY

South Texas Community-Based Research for LGBTQ+ Health Equity

The goal of the study is to examine the circumstances which initiate health care disparities for the LGBTQ+ community and explore what options can mitigate consequences from care that is delayed or withheld entirely.

This project is funded under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s program, Community Research for Health Equity (CRHE), a community-led research program that seeks to elevate community voices and make the priorities of communities the primary goal of local health system transformation efforts. The goal of the study is to examine the circumstances which initiate health care disparities for the LGBTQ+ community and explore what options can mitigate consequences from care that is delayed or withheld entirely. The project will focus on the lack of inclusion, whether real or perceived, experienced by LGBTQ+ people regarding access to physical and mental health care. The project team will use a digital critical participatory action research (D+CPAR) methodology and collect quantitative and qualitative data through surveys interviews and focus groups. Deliverables will include a project work plan and annual and final narrative and financial reports. The project team will also produce a public-facing product of their choice to share new knowledge that can address local health care system inequities and/or make recommendations for action toward system improvements.