Date of Award

Spring 2024

Thesis Type

Open Access

Degree Name

Honors Bachelor of Arts

Department

Political Science

Sponsor

Philip Kozel

Committee Member

Shan-Estelle Brown

Committee Member

Giancarlo Gonzalez

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of pro-LGBTQ+ legislation, specifically the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid Expansion and LGBTQ+ Public Accommodation Anti-Discrimination Statutes, on general health, healthcare affordability, and accessibility among LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States. The research delves into historical and present policy impacts on health disparities within the LGBTQ+ community, offering a systematic analysis of data sourced from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. The research utilizes comparative statistical analysis to discern changes in health outcomes over the years 2014 to 2022, focusing on differences in general health, healthcare affordability, and accessibility between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ respondents, as well as within the LGBTQ+ community in states with varying policy implementations. Results indicate that LGBTQ+ individuals consistently report poorer health outcomes compared to their non-LGBTQ+ counterparts. Furthermore, states with Medicaid expansion and anti-discrimination statutes show a positive impact on the health of LGBTQ+ residents, evidenced by improved accessibility to healthcare and reduced financial barriers compared to states without such policies. The study highlights the crucial role of specific health-oriented policies in mitigating health disparities experienced by LGBTQ+ populations. It suggests that continued and expanded legislative support is essential to foster an equitable healthcare environment. This research contributes to ongoing discussions on policy effectiveness and underscores the need for targeted interventions to address healthcare inequities in marginalized communities. Finally, this work critiques current methods for data collection and proposed suggestions to improve data collection on LGBTQ+ to better understand anti-discrimination statutes.

Rights Holder

John Kirkley III

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