California currently collects data based on race, ethnicity, age, gender and other information to understand the health impacts of COVID-19.
A lot of attention, especially in Los Angeles County, has been placed on the race and socio-economic impact of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
But there’s no information or data based on a patient’s sexual orientation.
Bay Area State Senator Scott Wiener wants to change that with SB 932, a bill that would direct the state and counties to collect data from LGBTQ patients.
“We know that LGBTQ people do have increased health for COVID-19 because we have increased rates of HIV, cancer, of smoking, of homelessness,” Wiener says. “Which are all risk factors."
SB 932 must first pass through the state’s health committee before a vote in the senate.
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