KING COUNTY, WA - Today, Public Health - Seattle & King County becomes the first local public health agency in the United States to offer health webpages specifically targeting the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) communities. The GLBT Health webpages can be found on Public Health's server at http://www.metrokc.gov/health/glbt/.

These landmark webpages cover more than twenty health topics that differentially affect GLBT people, including hate crimes, breast cancer, cervical cancer smoking, domestic violence, finding a sensitive health care provider, sexually transmitted diseases and youth suicide. The pages also offer guidance to health care providers to create an environment welcoming to GLBT people, a quiz on GLBT health, and links to other local and national resources.

"Addressing disparities in health is our highest priority as a public health agency," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County. "Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons deserve health information that is accurate and culturally sensitive and we are proud to be on the cutting edge in this effort."

"Access to reliable information is a first step in getting care and preventing the health problems that disproportionately affect our community," added Marsha Botzer, Co-Chair of the City of the Seattle Commission for Sexual Minorities. "These webpages will serve as an excellent resource for sexual minorities in Seattle and around the world."

"It is difficult to find culturally-appropriate health information for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people on topics other than HIV on the Internet," said Dr. Donald Abrams, President of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. "These webpages will help to make important health information accessible to our communities."

Examples of health concerns facing lesbians and gay men include:

• lesbians and gay men are more likely to smoke than heterosexuals;
• GLBT are at increased risk for hate crime victimization;
• lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to have regular gynecological exams than heterosexual women, and have an increased risk for cervical cancer as a result;
• syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea rates among gay and bisexual men have increased dramatically in many urban areas in the United States;
• GLBT youth are at increased risk for suicide and homelessness because of societal stigma and discrimination.

Public Health staff determined content for the webpages through interviews and focus groups with the GLBT community, as well as a review of the scientific literature. Prior to launching, the webpages were tested with the community in order to assure that they are appropriate and effective.

This project was supported in part through a generous grant from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.