Improving the health of particular populations is an important objective for public health service planners, policymakers and care delivery staff. This is especially important for disadvantaged minority groups such as people of minority sexual orientation and gender identity populations, where robust evidence to show considerable health inequities is developing. Improving health and wellbeing is an important objective for all who aspire to reduce health inequities (inequalities that are considered preventable). It is important to understand various factors that contribute to lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and similar (LGBT+) groups’ mental and physical health and the mediators and moderators of these relationships. This Special Issue was open to any subject area related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and physical or mental health and wellbeing, and considered systematic reviews as well as primary qualitative or quantitative research. The result is an interesting collection of published papers from around the world. They showed how health inequities in LGBT+ groups of people were found across a wide variety of political environments and health and wellbeing topics. Several focussed on healthcare delivery and its inadequacies regarding the treatment and care of LGBT+ people. The increasing interest in health and wellbeing research for minority sexual orientation and gender identity populations, which have been neglected in the past, shows its growing importance. It is hoped that this collection will contribute to the growing body of evidence around LGBT+ health and wellbeing that can be used by service planners, policymakers and the general public.

Includes chapter: The power of recognition: a qualitative study of social connectedness and wellbeing through LGBT sporting, creative and social groups in Ireland.