Perceptions and willingness concerning the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data in Australian healthcare services

Daniel Demant; Paul Byron; Deborah Debono; Suneel Jethani; Beth Goldblatt; Michael Thomson; Jo (River) River

doi:10.1071/PY24178

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Next Contents Vol 31(2)

Perceptions and willingness concerning the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data in Australian healthcare services

Daniel Demant

^A ^B ^* , Paul Byron ^C , Deborah Debono ^A ^D ^E ^F , Suneel Jethani ^C , Beth Goldblatt ^G ^H , Michael Thomson ^G ^I Jo (River) River ^J ^K

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

^B School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

^C School of Communication, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

^D Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University, Ryde, NSW, Australia.

^E Uniting Australia, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

^F St Vincent’s Clinical School, UNSW Medicine, Randwick, NSW, Australia.

^G Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney, Randwick, NSW, Australia.

^H School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

^I School of Law, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom.

^J Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

^K Northern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: daniel.demant@uts.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 31, PY24178 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY24178

Submitted: 22 October 2024 Accepted: 20 February 2025 Published: 13 March 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Despite growing recognition of the importance of collecting sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data to improve healthcare access and equity for LGBTQA+ populations, uncertainty remains around how these data are collected, their perceived importance and individuals’ willingness to disclose such information in healthcare settings. The aim of this study was to understand perceptions of the collection of data on sexual orientation and gender identity in healthcare settings across Australia, and individuals’ willingness to provide this data.

Methods

A cross-sectional online survey of 657 Australian residents was conducted to assess participants’ attitudes towards SOGI data in healthcare settings, along with preferences for methods to collect these data. Statistical analyses included ANCOVA, Chi-squared tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Results

Participants generally recognised the importance of the collection of basic demographic data to support the provision of health services. Willingness to share SOGI data varied, with significant differences noted across gender, sexual orientation and cultural backgrounds. LGBTQA+ participants expressed greater willingness to provide SOGI data, but only in contextually appropriate situations, and preferred more inclusive data collection methods.

Conclusions

The study shows a context-dependent willingness to provide SOGI data in health care, underscoring the need for sensitive data collection methods. Insights into SOGI data collection attitudes are vital for developing inclusive and respectful healthcare practices. Improved SOGI data collection can enrich healthcare outcomes for diverse groups, informing public health policies and practices tailored to LGBTQA+ needs.

Keywords: cultural competency, data collection, gender identity, health care disparities, health services, patient acceptance of health care, sexuality, SOGI.

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