A literature review of eight studies, published in the May 2024 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, has found that there is an increased occurrence of COPD within various groups of the LGBTQ+ community compared to heterosexual and cisgender populations. The review’s authors said the results show a need for more research and educational efforts within those minority communities.
“Although the prevalence of COPD has been shown to be higher in the LGBTQ+ community, we need current research and prevention efforts to actively address the issue,” said Ninad T. Maniar, MD, a pulmonologist and critical care physician at Medstar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. “We propose a three-part call to action: increased education about COPD and the risk of tobacco smoke, expanded COPD prevention and intervention efforts, including the development of culturally sensitive smoking cessation resources, and focused research on COPD in LGBTQ+ populations. These efforts can help improve the health of these marginalized communities.”
In a separate report, “Sexual Orientation Health Disparities in Chronic Respiratory Disorders,” the authors examined data from the 2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to explore disparities in COPD among people who identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual. The analysis showed that smoking and the prevalence of COPD was 1.2 times higher compared to people who identified as heterosexual.
“Our analysis of data from a large, national dataset showed increases in both smoking rates and the prevalence of chronic respiratory disorders among sexual minorities,” said Kevin P. Ferriter, MD, a pulmonary and critical care fellow at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago. “While additional research is needed to examine risk factors for COPD among these populations, including social determinants of health for which sexual minorities face disparities, this report demonstrates the need for physicians to provide care for sexual minority patients that includes addressing smoking cessation and the risks of developing chronic lung disease.”
