Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People Health Report

Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People Health Report from LGBT Youth Scotland explores experiences of accessing healthcare and the barriers LGBTQ+ young people face to accessing the care they need. With over 1200 participants, this deep-dive report is part of the largest piece of research into experiences for LGBTQ+ young people in Scotland to date.

Since the last survey in 2017, the percentage of participants saying they feel safe and supported within health services has dropped. Around half (45%) of participants don’t feel supported by mental health services, and one in four (25%) do not know where to go to get information and help with mental health.

The research also found that:

• Around a third of participants (29%) do not feel safe/supported as an LGBTQ+ person by their GP
• 88% of participants said they experience one or more mental health condition or related behaviour, with this figure rising to 94% for trans participants
• Half of participants (50%) reported experiencing suicidal thoughts or actions
• There were significant barriers to accessing Gender Identity Services, with average waiting time for a first appointment varying by location from around 2 to almost 5 years
• Over a third of participants (38%) do not know where to go for information and help with sexual health
• Just one in three (35%) participants would feel comfortable talking about sexual health issues with their doctor.