By ANNALEA TRASK //
June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month, and people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer face numerous health disparities in comparison to those who identify as heterosexual and cisgender. LGBTQ+ individuals may also have a higher risk of cancer due to such disparities.
Stony Brook Cancer Center’s Cancer Prevention in Action program is here to help people of all gender identities, expressions and sexual orientations take action against cancer.
Get the facts: LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to be uninsured, lack access to healthcare and delay healthcare, including preventative care and cancer screenings. Disparities in cervical cancer prevention exist among lesbian women, including lower rates of HPV vaccination and pap tests and higher rates of abnormal results when tested. Gay and bisexual men have higher rates of anal cancer, while lesbian and bisexual women have higher rates of oral cancer.
Annalea Trask: The equalizer.
Reduce the risk: Access to cancer-prevention care, such as vaccinations and screening, is vital in reducing cancer disparities in the LGBTQ+ community. The HPV vaccine prevents 90 percent of cancers caused by the Human Papillomavirus, including cervical, oral, anal, vaginal, vulvar and penile cancers. HPV vaccination is recommended for people of all genders and is safe beginning at age nine, and through age 45, for those not vaccinated in childhood.
Spread the word: The CPiA works to increase awareness of the HPV vaccine as cancer prevention. [The program] provides education and resources to healthcare providers, community organizations, parents and young adults about the benefits of HPV vaccination for people of all gender identities, expressions and orientations. Learn more about CPiA at www.takeactionagainstcancer.com.
Addressing cancer disparities among the LGBTQ+ community is one of the many ways Stony Brook Medicine demonstrates commitment to providing high-quality, equitable care. Stony Brook Medicine has been named a leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation for 2020-2022. Learn more about LGBTQ+ care at Stony Brook Medicine by visiting here.
Annalea Trask is the program coordinator of the Stony Brook Cancer Center’s state-funded Cancer Prevention in Action Program.
