Using the National Survey on Health and Disability to Assess the Experiences of LGBTQ+ People with Disabilities - The University of Kansas, in partnership with The Urban Institute and LGBTQ+ consultants, proposes to use the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) with the goal of assessing the unique challenges and disparities encountered by LGBTQ+ individuals with disabilities. Objectives include providing descriptive, research-based information on the experiences of LGBTQ+ people with disabilities to inform future interventions, funding priorities, and the development of data-driven policy suggestions. The project will address several key areas, including community participation, housing, personal assistance, healthcare, gender-affirming care, mental health services, employment, and the effects of state-level LGBTQ+ policies. Our approach involves using the existing NSHD to gather data, ensuring a continuity of participant engagement and enhancing the longitudinal value of the research. The anticipated sample size of 1,750 – 2,250 participants provides sufficient power for sub-group analyses to support the proposed data analysis methods. Anticipated outcomes and products include (a) development of a comprehensive dataset to document life domain disparities for LGBTQ+ people with disabilities, (b) dissemination of findings through journal publications and conference presentations, informing evidence-based policy recommendations, (c) raising awareness about the challenges faced by this community through fact sheets and social media campaigns, and (d) strengthening a collaborative research team to foster community among LGBTQ+ researchers with disabilities. The project's duration is three years, with each year dedicated to specific objectives. In the first year, the team will update, pilot, and administer the NSHD with an LGBTQ+ supplement. In subsequent years, we will conduct structured interviews, publish a call for additional LGBTQ+-related questions from NIDILRR-funded researchers, and administer a revised NSHD including the added questions.
