Evidence Exchange of LGB&T Statistics
Welcome to the LGF’s Evidence Exchange, an evidence base of statistics about lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) needs and experiences.
Topics range from healthcare to homophobia and schools to safer sex. The evidence base is continuously updated to include new research, and all records include as much information about the statistic as possible.
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53% of LGB&T people who take drugs do so in the bars and nightclub on the gay scene although only 12% took their first drug in this space.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Drugs
Nearly 2 in 5 LGB&T people who felt they needed support for drug or alcohol addiction would not feel comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation to drug and alcohol services in the private sector compared to under 1 in 10 who would not feel comfortable disclosing to the LGB&T sector.
Topics:
Mental Health:
Coming Out
Substance Misuse:
Drugs, Alcohol
Around a quarter of LGB&T people who felt they needed support for drug or alcohol addiction would not feel comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation to drug and alcohol services in the public sector or the voluntary sector.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Drugs, Alcohol
Mental Health:
Coming Out
16% of LGB&T survey respondents believe that drug use is more common in the LGB&T community.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Drugs
Drug and alcohol use has been a factor in 15% of all survey respondents and 36% of transgendered respondents self-harming.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Drugs, Alcohol
Mental Health:
Suicide & Self Harm
Drug and alcohol use contributed to 30% of LGB&T people thinking about suicide and 13% attempting suicide. The equivalent figures for transgendered people were substantially higher with 47% thinking about suicide and 25% attempting it.
Topics:
Mental Health:
Suicide & Self Harm
Substance Misuse:
Drugs, Alcohol
69% of LGB&T people who smoke want to quit.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Smoking
In the last 12 months 8% of survey respondents had blackouts and withdrawal symptoms as a result of drug use.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Drugs
Drug and alcohol use contributed to 44% of LGB&T people having unprotected sex.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Drugs, Alcohol
Sexual Health:
Other
57% of the LGB&T respondents to this Northern Ireland survey drink to a hazardous level compared to 24% of adults in England.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Alcohol
44% of LGB&T respondents smoke cigarettes compared to 24% of people in Northern Ireland as a whole.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Smoking
32% of transgendered respondents smoke cigarettes regularly compared to 27% of all the survey respondents.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Smoking
Of those who drink alcohol, LGB&T people are approximately twice as likely as the Northern Ireland population to drink daily or most days.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Alcohol
In the Northern Ireland population men are more likely than women to drink daily or most days (8% v 5%), however, this is reversed in the LGB&T community in which 14% of women and 12% of men drink this frequently.
Topics:
Substance Misuse:
Alcohol
A third of bisexual men have experienced a health professional attributing mental health problems to their bisexuality
Topics:
Discrimination:
Healthcare
Mental Health:
Other
Bisexual people are around six times more likely to have experienced suicidal feelings than heterosexual people.
Topics:
Mental Health:
Suicide & Self Harm
70% of football fans have witnessed homophobic abuse at a match.
Topics:
Discrimination:
Hate Crime, Bullying
Over a third of students percieve an anti-LGBT attitude in UK universities
Topics:
Discrimination:
Education
2 in 5 teachers feel uncomfortable discussing LGB issues.
Topics:
Discrimination:
Education
Three quarters of young LGB people who attend religious schools experience direct bullying.
Topics:
Discrimination:
Bullying, Education