Adults’ willingness to report sexual orientation and gender identity when registering for a digital health application: A cross-sectional quantitative study

Abstract

The collection of patient sexual orientation and gender identity information is crucial in identifying and addressing disparities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes for sexual and gender minority individuals. While some studies have explored patients’ willingness to disclose this information in specific settings, little is known about response rates in digital health applications. In light of the growing use of digital health, including virtual care, we sought to determine whether adults would respond to optional sexual orientation and gender identity fields during registration for a digital health application offered through their employer-provided benefits. We analyzed response rates for sexual orientation and gender identity by age, race and ethnicity, and region among individuals over age 17 between September 9th and December 31, 2022. Our study, which included over 41,000 commercially-insured adults from all 50 states, found that nearly 80% were willing to report their sexual orientation and gender identity. However, we observed higher nonresponse rates among older adults and individuals living in central and southern regions, with no consistent pattern by race and ethnicity. Our findings indicate that digital health applications could be a valuable resource for collecting this data from a diverse group of adults. Nevertheless, digital health companies must ensure that they use the data responsibly, identifying quality improvement initiatives and contributing to research that can inform health policies for sexual and gender minority individuals.