Inequalities in Poverty Indicators, Mental Health Outcomes, Physical Health Outcomes, and Mortality by Sexual Orientation in Canada

This research aims to examine food insecurity inequalities among Canadians by their sexual orientation identity, and examine how poverty (measured by several socioeconomic statuses) may explain the health inequalities by sexual orientation (alone and intersection with other social positions), using population-based data in Canada. In this study, we will particularly focus on the analysis of the inequalities among bisexuals vs. gay/lesbian and heterosexuals.

To this end, this research aims to address the following objectives:

Objective 1:

To explore inequalities in food insecurity among Canadians by sexual orientation identity.
Research question 1: Are there any inequalities in food insecurity among Canadians by their sexual orientation identity?
Data to address this objective: the Canadian Community Health Surveys (2003-2019).

Objective 2:

To explore mental health inequalities among Canadians by their sexual orientation identity.
To assess how much the mental health inequalities among sexual minorities can be explained by poverty indicators.
Research question 2: Can mental health inequalities among bisexual identified people (vs. gay/lesbians and heterosexuals) be explained by poverty indicators?
Data to address this objective: the Canadian Community Health Surveys (2003-2019).

Objective 3:

To explore physical health inequalities among Canadians by their sexual orientation identity.
To assess how much the physical health inequalities can be explained by poverty indicators.
Research question 3: Can physical health inequalities among bisexual identified people (vs. gay/lesbians and heterosexuals) be explained by poverty indicators? Data to address this objective: the Canadian Community Health Surveys (2003-2019).

Objective 4:

To explore inequality in all-cause mortality and disease-specific mortality among bisexual identified people (vs. gay/lesbians and heterosexuals).
To assess how much inequalities in mortalities can be explained by poverty indicators.
Research question 4: Can mortality inequalities among bisexual identified people (vs. gay/lesbians and heterosexuals) be explained by poverty indicators?
Data to address this objective: the Canadian Community Health Survey—Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database (CCHS-CSVD 2003-2017)