• Milton Roberto Furst Crenitte, Leonardo Rabelo de Melo, Wilson Jacob-Filho, and Thiago Junqueira Avelino-Silva.
• Laboratório de Investigação Médica em Envelhecimento (LIM 66), Serviço de Geriatria, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo SP, Brazil. Electronic address: milton.crenitte@online.uscs.edu.br.
• Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2023 Jan 1; 78: 100149100149.

ObjectivesTo compare variables of access to healthcare between the LGBT+ population aged 50 and over and those non-LGBT+.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out in Brazil through a confidential online questionnaire. The use of the health system was characterized by the number of preventive tests performed and measured by the PCATool-Brasil scale (a 10-point scale in which higher scores were associated with better assistance in healthcare). The association between being LGBT+ and access to health was analyzed in Poisson regression models.Results6693 participants (1332 LGBT+ and 5361 non-LGBT+) with a median age of 60 years were included. In the univariate analysis, it was observed not only lower scores on the PCATool scale (5.13 against 5.82, p < 0.001), but a greater proportion of individuals among those classified with the worst quintile of access to healthcare (< 4 points), 31% against 18% (p < 0.001). Being LGBT+ was an independent factor associated with worse access to health (PR = 2.5, 95% CI 2.04‒3.06). The rate of screening cancer, for breast, colon, and cervical cancer was also found to be lower in the LGBT+ population.ConclusionHealthcare access and health service experiences were worse in the LGBT+ group than in their non-LGBT peers. Inclusive and effective healthcare public policies are essential to promote healthy aging for all.Copyright © 2022 HCFMUSP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

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