Visibility Matters
Data Drives Human-Centered Services
By Sarah Bahnson , LGBTQI+ Community Liaison
On-going events: Registration is required for attendance - soazseniorpride.org GBTQI+ Mens Loss Group ; weekly on Tuesday; 1:30–3pm; in-person Gayme Day; second Wednesday; 1–3pm; in-person etc. standard components of data collection in research about LGBTQI+ people. And yet race, ethnicity, age, and the like also have unique impacts on health disparities. What does that mean for public health-related organizations trying to meet the needs of their community when data collection does not provide a broad and clear picture of the situation? Research and statistics are the driving forces behind the infrastructure of public-health organizations. Public- health initiatives are funded and created based on what research indicates about community needs. But if the data falls short of creating a clear picture of what the community needs are, so too, will the programs and services designed to meet those needs. Organizations with a singular approach to program development risk losing people who exist in multiple marginalized communities, such as LGBTQI+ people who are also aging, and/or are people of color, and/or are living with a disability.
Aging with Pride
So. AZ Senior Pride celebrating, supporting and uniting LGBTQI+ older adults (520) 312-8923; info@soazseniorpride. org; soazseniorpride.org All in-person, indoor events require masks. health inequities and is not evenly dispersed. For example, generally, lesbians have a very different risk of HIV transmission than gay and trans people. We know this because the data says so, which means there was an effort to collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity when researching HIV transmission. However, sexual orientation and gender identity are not standard categories in all research. Nor are race, ethnicity, age, Perhaps the most diverse community on the planet, LGBTQI+ people exist in every race, ethnicity, age, and ability, on every continent, and in every country. Each one of those factors has its own impact on public health. For LGBTQI+ people, numerous studies have recorded an increased risk of substance use, cardiovascular diseases, HIV/AIDS, some dementias, and suicidal ideations (Fredricksen- Goldsen, Kim, Shui et. al., 2017). Diversity just within sexual orientation and gender identities presents unique
Book Club ; third Wednesday; 2–3:30pm; on Zoom Gathering in Himmel Park ; third Saturday; 10–11:30am; in-person Walk and Roll - Enjoy an outdoor activity with friendly people; third Tuesday; time will vary; in-person There are more events each month. Stay tuned in on the website. providers in Pima County who want to learn how to better serve LGBTQI+ older adults. It is offered free of charge and can be scheduled by a specific organization or individuals can sign up via Eventbrite (https://www.eventbrite. com/d/az--tucson/visibility-matters/). To learn more or request a training, contact Sarah Bahnson at sbahnson@ pcoa.org. PCOA recognizes the need to reach historically underserved communities, such as LGBTQI+ older adults. Changes to demographic data collection in PCOA’s community needs assessment helped to capture LGBTQI+ voices and inform the programs and services we offer. Visibility Matters is one of the programs that benefits from that data collection. Visibility Matters is a training program available to aging care
Page 28 | April 2023, Never Too Late
Pima Council on Aging
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