ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the use of data from the 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment (REG & BSC, 2020) to evaluate COVID-19 risk among LGBTQI+ Pennsylvanians and how those findings translated into practical strategies to educate on safety practices, promote vaccination for COVID-19, and reduce misinformation. Findings from the 2020 Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment related to health insurance, access and barriers to health-care, tobacco use, and other health disparities (Keith et al., 2020) indicate members of the LGBTQI+ community in Pennsylvania may be at higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and experiencing severe symptoms. These findings, along with community feedback, were utilized to inform health messaging strategies disseminated by the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
