The urgency of systematically acquiring sexual orientation and gender identity data (SOGI) to ensure equity of care

Abstract

We read the interesting and meritorious study by Kratzer and colleagues 1 on cancer in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or gender-nonconforming (LGBTQIAþ) people.The authors highlight the greater exposure to several risk conditions of these populations, which translates into a higher cancer burden. Conversely, these are groups of people who are sometimes difficult to identify and reach by prevention campaigns and who may encounter several obstacles accessing care.Too many barriers to health equity in the LGBTQIAþ population still exist. Most studies indicate that one of the main barriers is represented by the lack of information on people's sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). Another very recent study 2 confirmed the little attention given to the collection of SOGI data in oncology. This information, on the one hand, is quite obvious for those who work in the field; on the other hand, it is discouraging if you think about what has been done in past years to raise awareness of these issues. However, it is precisely the first awareness that helps us overcome the second immediate and instinctive disappointment and strengthens us in our commitment to raising awareness and improving disparities in care for all disadvantaged and minority people and here, specifically, forLGBTQIAþ populations. Regional differences exist in the equity of care for sexual minorities, reflecting the different social and cultural contexts that require different interventions.