Material hardship and use of social safety net programs among LGBT
adults and their families
Abstract
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people experience higher levels of
economic insecurity and poverty compared to non-SGM people. Social
safety net programs may reduce this disparity, but the uptake of these
programs among SGM adults has rarely been assessed. We conducted a
secondary data analysis of the 2018-2020 Well-Being and Basic Needs
Survey to compare differences in material hardship and social safety net
program utilization between SGM and non-SGM adults in the United States.
SGM participants were more likely to report food insecurity, utilities
hardship, medical hardship, and multiple material hardships. SGM adults
had higher odds compared to non-SGM adults of using SNAP, income- or
disability-based insurance, SSI or SSDI, and housing assistance. There
were no differences in use of WIC, reduced-price/free school lunch
benefits, or charitable food. Future studies are needed to evaluate the
efficacy of the social safety net programs for reducing material
hardship.