LGBT Health Awareness Week 2016 takes place Monday, March 28, through Friday, April 1. The annual event is organized by the National Coalition for LGBT Health, which is in turn led by the national nonprofit HealthHIV.

“Redefining stigma in LGBT health care from invisible to OUTvisible” is the theme of this year’s LGBT Health Awareness Week, which hopes to raise awareness of health disparities in the LGBT community by promoting the campaign and related events through social media.

Activities for the wellness week include:

  • Monday, March 28, at 3 p.m. EST— #MillennialMon Twitter Chat with Out2Enroll, and the launch of OUTclusion: the State of LGBT Health survey

  • Tuesday, March 29, at 1 p.m. EST – A webinar titled “OUTcompetent: Cultural Competency and the Stigmatization of STDs, HIV, PrEP and mental health.” Register here!
  • Wednesday, March 30, at 2 p.m. EST – #WellnessWed Twitter Chat with Out2Enroll

  • Forthcoming: A webinar on stigma in transgender health care

“The goal of the social media campaign during LGBT Health Awareness Week is to make stigma OUTvisible,” said Ryan Meyer, manager of the National Coalition for LGBT Health, in a press release. “So much of the stigma that LGBT individuals face in health care is invisible. The public does not typically see stigma, but it is part of everyday experiences of LGBT individuals. This campaign will help destigmatize many of the health-related stigmas that LGBT individuals face through education, increased awareness and better data collection.”

According to research quoted in the press release:

  • More than half of LGBT individuals have faced discrimination from health-care providers

  • 30 percent of gay and bisexual men have never gotten tested for HIV

  • Only 26 percent of gay and bisexual men know about PrEP

  • Approximately 10 percent of lesbian, gay and bisexual people of color have been refused care

  • 1 in 5 LGBT individuals reported withholding information about their sexual history from a health-care professional

  • 89 percent of transgender individuals fear doctors are not trained to adequately treat them

  • LGBT individuals are 2.5 times more likely to experience depression, anxiety and substance abuse