A pioneering project is launched to improve healthcare for LesBians*

The L-Health project, funded by the European Union, is the first study of LesBians* health at a European level. It combines quantitative and qualitative methodologies to address inequities in primary care for the community in Catalonia.

This morning, at 11:00 a.m., the official presentation of the L-Health project took place at the headquarters of the Catalan Institute of Health. This pioneering and necessary research initiative arises from the lack of existing data not only in Catalonia but also at the national and international levels. Its goal is to design training programs for professionals to improve the clinical practice received by LesBians* in primary care services. Additionally, the initiative aims to identify health and primary care inequities affecting lesbians, bisexuals, pansexuals, and heterosexual women who engage in affective-sexual relationships with other women.

The project is led by the Jordi Gol i Gurina Institute for Research in Primary Care (IDIAPJGol) and involves the participation of the Dr. Josep Trueta Biomedical Research Institute of Girona (IDIBGI), the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB), Sida Studi, and the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C). Its main objectives are:

• Understand the needs and discrimination experienced by LesBians* regarding their health and primary care and analyze health inequalities.
• Explore the needs, knowledge gaps, and attitudes of primary healthcare professionals toward LesBians*.
• Design and evaluate training programs for health care professionals to improve clinical practice for LesBians*.

 

In this way, L-Health aims to promote excellence in clinical care for this community within the primary healthcare setting.

Project methodologies

During the presentation, the project's lead researchers outlined the three key areas of this research initiative:

1. Quantitative study using an online chain methodology, this method involves distributing an online questionnaire to Lesbians*, who will then invite three other LesBians* they know to participate. The first participant in the chain, known as the "seed," plays a crucial role in disseminating the study and extending the chain. Anna Ponjoan, the principal investigator of L-Health, emphasized: "If we achieve long participation chains, this methodology will allow us to obtain a representative sample of the diversity within the LesBians* community in Catalonia". The study will utilize a large clinical database, SIDIAP, which contains information from seven million patient medical records in Catalonia’s primary care system. This resource will help identify health inequities by comparing the health status of the representative sample of LesBians* with a randomly selected sample of women from the general population.
   
   
2. Qualitative study through group interviews with Lesbians* and primary care professionals. In parallel, group conversations will be organized in which participants will reflect on their health needs, the barriers they face in primary care, and possible suggestions for improvement. Additionally, focus groups with primary care professionals will be conducted to understand their experiences, attitudes, and needs, aiming to enhance knowledge and clinical practice to the community. Constanza Jacques, also a principal investigator of the project, emphasized: "It is essential that Lesbians* are not only the subject of study but also active participants in building a more equitable health care system".
   
   
3. Study with participatory methodologies: This project adopts a feminist and intersectional perspective, making it essential to propose participatory strategies that include a diverse range of LesBians* profiles. To this end, a Steering Group has been created, coordinated by the ASPB, whose role is to provide guidance throughout the different phases of the project and help address the needs of the community.

 

 

Pilot training

Based on the previous lines, the NGO Sida Studi will collaboratively design a pilot training program for healthcare professionals. In line with the feminist and intersectional perspective of the project, the training will use methodologies linked to reflexivity and situated knowledge, aiming to promote the community health of LesBians* in primary care services.

The perspective of participants

One of the most significant moments of the press conference was the testimony of the person who initiated the participation chain. Speaking anonymously, they shared their personal experience: “We know that the lack of information about our health is not a coincidence. If we are not included in studies, if we are not part of the research, it's as if we don't exist”.

A transformative impact

L-Health, which will take place from 2024 to 2026, aims not only to collect data but also to transform the findings into practical tools. These tools will include educational materials to raise awareness among healthcare staff and improve their clinical practice, ultimately promoting more inclusive primary care.

The project is grounded in feminist and intersectional values, recognizing the diversity and structural inequalities that affect the community.

Organization and collaboration

L-Health is the result of an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Fundació Institut Universitari per a la Recerca en Atenció Primària de Salut Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol), the EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community (EL*C), the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB), the NGO Sida Studi, and the Dr. Josep Trueta Biomedical Research Institute of Girona (IDIBGI). These entities are joining forces to combine academic research, international community activism, and political advocacy in the field of public health.

Click here to view the photos from the press conference

 

 

(*) NOTE: The L-Health Project uses the term LesBians* as an inclusive concept that encompasses lesbians, bisexuals, pansexuals (both cisgender women and other gender dissidents), as well as heterosexual women who have sex with other women or are attracted to them. This approach recognizes the diversity of identities and experiences within the community, ensuring all are represented in the study.