Sexual Orientation, Race/Ethnicity, and Prevalence of COVID-19–Related Comorbidities

Persons belonging to sexual and racial/ethnic minorities are more likely to have underlying health conditions associated with severe COVID-19.

Many comorbidities that raise risk for severe COVID-19 appear to be more common among sexual minorities than the heterosexual population. These disparities also apply to sexual minorities within racial/ethnic minority groups; nonetheless, direct links between sexual orientation and COVID-19 severity have remained unclear due to inadequate surveillance. The CDC, using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS; administered in 31 states as of 2019), has assessed differences between sexual minorities (i.e., those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and otherwise claiming gender identity variance) and the heterosexual population in risk for several underlying medical conditions related to COVID-19 severity, including cancer, k…

Reviewing Author

Stephen G. Baum, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardClinical Infectious Diseases

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsMedical Letter

Stephen G. Baum, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardClinical Infectious Diseases

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Editorial BoardsMedical Letter

Sexual Orientation, Race/Ethnicity, and Prevalence of COVID-19–Related Comorbidities

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Reviewing Author