At this point in the global pandemic, talking about getting the COVID-19 vaccine can be a stressful endeavor. On a global scale, many people are without access to the vaccine, while in the United States, there are reports of vaccines going to waste because not enough people want to get them. On the flip side, we’ve seen hospitals, colleges, and corporations start to mandate vaccines for employees and students, which is certainly a step in the right direction in getting as many people as possible safely vaccinated.
Some communities are doing a pretty stellar job of getting vaccinated, too. According to data from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, more than 90% of LGBTQ+ adults living in the U.S. have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The report, released on Thursday, Aug 12., includes data from more than 15,000 respondents and goes into detail in regard to not only sexual orientation and gender identity, but also race and ethnicity. Let’s check out some details below.
This research reflects responses from adults who participated in the survey during May and June 2021. As a point of comparison and context, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that just over 70% of all adults in the nation have received at least one dose of the vaccine, as of mid-August, with just over 60% of adults being fully vaccinated. So on the whole, LGBTQ+ adults who have received at least one vaccine are coming in at a considerably higher rate than non-LGBTQ folks.
Specifically, data suggests that 92% of cisgender lesbian and bisexual women have received at least one dose, as well as 93% of cisgender gay and bisexual men, and 92% of trans and non-binary folks. Data also suggests that 90% of Latinx respondents, 94% of white respondents, 85% of Black respondents, 85% of Native respondents, and 96% of Asian or Pacific Islander respondents have received at least one dose.
More than 90% of LGBTQ+ people over the age of 55 reported having at least one dose. 92% of respondents between 25 and 54 reported the same. 91% of respondents between 18 and 34 reported receiving at least one dose at the time of response. People whose highest completed level of education was a high school diploma reported an 87% vaccination rate.
More than one-third of respondents reported a family member or close friend had become severely ill due to the virus, with just over 20% saying a loved one died from COVID-19. As aligns with much of what we know about mortality rates in terms of race, LGBTQ+ people of color reported higher rates of having a loved one die from COVID-19 than white folks. For example, while 17% of white respondents said they’d lost a close person to the virus, 30% of Latinx respondents said the same. 28% of Black respondents had lost someone, while one-quarter of Indigenous folks had, as well as 18% of AAPI folks.
More than 50% of respondents said the pandemic made them feel socially isolated, while a similar number of participants said the virus negatively impacted their mental health. It’s possible that feelings of isolation and loss of community encouraged people to get vaccinated sooner rather than later.
More than 20% of respondents said the pandemic had negatively affected their finances. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this number shifts considerably when considering race. For example, while 22% of white respondents said their finances were impacted, 25% of Black respondents and 25% of Latinx respondents said the same. The highest rate came from Indigenous respondents, at 33%, with AAPI respondents right behind, at 26%.
“There are many reasons why LGBTQ+ vaccination rates may be higher than the general population,” David Paisley, CMI senior director of research, said in a statement. “Including higher percentages of the LGBTQ+ community being liberal, living in blue states, and living in urban areas.”
Some communities are doing a pretty stellar job of getting vaccinated, too. According to data from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and supported by the Rockefeller Foundation, more than 90% of LGBTQ+ adults living in the U.S. have received at least one dose of the vaccine. The report, released on Thursday, Aug 12., includes data from more than 15,000 respondents and goes into detail in regard to not only sexual orientation and gender identity, but also race and ethnicity. Let’s check out some details below.
This research reflects responses from adults who participated in the survey during May and June 2021. As a point of comparison and context, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that just over 70% of all adults in the nation have received at least one dose of the vaccine, as of mid-August, with just over 60% of adults being fully vaccinated. So on the whole, LGBTQ+ adults who have received at least one vaccine are coming in at a considerably higher rate than non-LGBTQ folks.
Specifically, data suggests that 92% of cisgender lesbian and bisexual women have received at least one dose, as well as 93% of cisgender gay and bisexual men, and 92% of trans and non-binary folks. Data also suggests that 90% of Latinx respondents, 94% of white respondents, 85% of Black respondents, 85% of Native respondents, and 96% of Asian or Pacific Islander respondents have received at least one dose.
More than 90% of LGBTQ+ people over the age of 55 reported having at least one dose. 92% of respondents between 25 and 54 reported the same. 91% of respondents between 18 and 34 reported receiving at least one dose at the time of response. People whose highest completed level of education was a high school diploma reported an 87% vaccination rate.
More than one-third of respondents reported a family member or close friend had become severely ill due to the virus, with just over 20% saying a loved one died from COVID-19. As aligns with much of what we know about mortality rates in terms of race, LGBTQ+ people of color reported higher rates of having a loved one die from COVID-19 than white folks. For example, while 17% of white respondents said they’d lost a close person to the virus, 30% of Latinx respondents said the same. 28% of Black respondents had lost someone, while one-quarter of Indigenous folks had, as well as 18% of AAPI folks.
More than 50% of respondents said the pandemic made them feel socially isolated, while a similar number of participants said the virus negatively impacted their mental health. It’s possible that feelings of isolation and loss of community encouraged people to get vaccinated sooner rather than later.
More than 20% of respondents said the pandemic had negatively affected their finances. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this number shifts considerably when considering race. For example, while 22% of white respondents said their finances were impacted, 25% of Black respondents and 25% of Latinx respondents said the same. The highest rate came from Indigenous respondents, at 33%, with AAPI respondents right behind, at 26%.
“There are many reasons why LGBTQ+ vaccination rates may be higher than the general population,” David Paisley, CMI senior director of research, said in a statement. “Including higher percentages of the LGBTQ+ community being liberal, living in blue states, and living in urban areas.”