Report: The role of LGBTIQA+ peer-led services in meeting the health needs of LGBTIQA+ people in Australia
Meridian (ACT), June 2023
Meridian partnered with Collective Action – a social impact consultancy – to undertake research to find out more about the role of peer-led services in meeting the health needs of LGBTIQA+ people in Australia.
Using an online survey, they asked LGBTIQA+ people about their experiences with peer-led and mainstream health and social support services. The survey received 443 responses from people across Australia with diverse sexualities, genders, bodies, and intersecting identities and experiences, including people with disability, people living with HIV, people who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
Many respondents emphasised the importance of LGBTIQA+ people having access to safe, inclusive, and knowledgeable services across the whole health system. While most respondents would prefer to access a peer-led service if given a choice, this is not always possible due to the limited reach, scope, and availability of these services. As such, the study found that the health needs of LGBTIQA+ people cannot be met by either peer-led organisations or mainstream services alone – all service providers need to work together to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of LGBTIQA+ people in Australia.