For Immediate Release
March 12, 2004
Contact: Donald Hitchcock, (202) 797-3516

SECOND ANNUAL NATIONAL LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK OBSERVED MARCH 14-20
Event Designed to Raise Awareness About Unique Health Care Concerns of LGBT Community

Washington, DC - The second Annual National LGBT Health Awareness Week will take place March 14-20. Across the country, major cities will organize events and activities to raise public awareness of the unique health concerns of the LGBT community. In Washington, DC, the week coincides with a lobbying effort to provide a framework for the continued inclusion of LGBT issues as part of the national health policy dialogue. More information on National LGBT Health Awareness Week can be found at www.lgbthealth.net.

"LGBT Americans, in addition to having the same basic health needs as the general population, have increased health disparities because of continuing discrimination and ignorance related to sexual orientation or gender identity, a fact confirmed by a growing body of scientific and social research," said Martin Ornelas-Quintero, Co-Chair of the Coalition and Executive Director of LLEGO. "Years of stigma and prejudice impact both the health of the LGBT community and the ability of health care providers to improve the wellness of their patients."

"This research and other science-based reports clearly indicate the need to incorporate sexual orientation as a health indicator in the work of the Department of Health and Human Services," said Henia Handler, Co-Chair of the Coalition. "Such integration would include, for example, the incorporation of questions on sexual orientation in various national health surveys. The collection of this information is critical if we are to understand the scope of health issues across the LGBT population and then create and improve services that will reverse the significant health disparities in our community."


The National Coalition for LGBT Health is committed to improving the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals through federal advocacy that is focused on research, policy, education and training. The Coalition, founded on October 14, 2000 by some 50 national, state and local organizations, is dedicated to bringing together the rich diversity of the LGBT community at a national level - across gender/gender identity, race/ethnicity, disability, education, income, age and geography.