Women in contact with the Sydney LGBTQ communities: Report of the SWASH Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women’s Health Survey 2022

Abstract

SWASH is the longest running periodic survey of LBQ women’s health and wellbeing in the world. SWASH was born of a need to generate evidence to inform health promotion efforts to enhance the health of LBQ women. In 1996, the SWASH survey (then called the Sydney Women and Sexual Health survey) was initiated by workers from two ACON projects (Women Partners of Gay and Bisexual Men, and the Gay and Lesbian Injecting Drug Use Project) who were faced with a lack of empirical evidence on which to base their health promotion work. Concern had been voiced about the possibility of HIV spreading from gay men to the ‘general community’; the first SWASH survey focused on sexual and injection-related HIV transmission risks and was addressed to all women in social contact with gay and lesbian communities in Sydney. Running every two years since 1996, SWASH has become a comprehensive survey of important health issues relevant to lesbian, bisexual, queer (LBQ) and other non-heterosexual identifying women engaged with Sydney’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) communities. The survey covers sexual health and wellbeing, experiences of violence, mental health, tobacco use, illicit drug use, alcohol consumption, and cancer screening behaviours. SWASH operates as a collaboration between university researchers and ACON. Together we revise the survey to reflect the changing needs of LGBTQ communities, recruit participants, and work to disseminate the findings. A lack of systematic, nuanced research on the health and wellbeing of Australian lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) women has been a significant barrier to understanding, recognising and addressing their health needs. A range of social, psychological and economic factors mean that this group has poorer health outcomes than their heterosexual peers. Stigma, family and community rejection and discrimination towards LBQ women can impact on health and wellbeing, the delivery of health services, and their access to services. While research on LGBTQ people has increased over time, sexuality and gender indicators are seldom included in large epidemiological surveys. Or data is only disaggregated by sexuality (e.g. heterosexual vs non-heterosexual people). We need to understand the intersections of gender and sexuality. SWASH provides a much-needed local evidence base about LBQ women in New South Wales to inform policy and best practice in healthcare and prevention for chronic diseases, mental health and wellbeing, sexual and reproductive health and ageing. This report presents results from the survey conducted at the Mardi Gras Fair Day and other community events and venues during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras season in 2022.