Penn Professor Discusses Innovative Approaches to Improving LGBTQ+ Health

Yale School of Public Health students gained unique insights into the intersections of LGBTQ+ health, digital innovation, and public health policy when Dr. José Bauermeister, PhD, MPH, discussed his career during a visit to the school as part of Dean Megan L. Ranney’s Leaders in Public Health speaker series.

Bauermeister, the Albert M. Greenfield Professor of Human Relations at the University of Pennsylvania and director of the Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative, shared his journey of academic research, community engagement, and advocacy. He particularly emphasized the importance of approaching public health challenges with inclusivity and intersectionality, reflecting on his early experiences in HIV prevention in Puerto Rico. His current research explores the integration of social support platforms, digital interventions, and clinical innovation to support LGBTQ+ youth and address health disparities within marginalized communities.

Speaking to students, faculty, and staff in Winslow Auditorium on October 23, Bauermeister recounted his witnessing of the stigmatization of women living with HIV in Puerto Rico and how it shaped his commitment to “community-level change” and policy reform. These formative experiences led him away from clinical psychology and toward public health, where he could advocate for LGBTQ+ health equity on a greater scale.

As the founding faculty director of the Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania, Bauermeister leads projects that address health challenges in LGBTQ+ communities. His recent initiatives include a digital life skills program for sexual and gender minority communities and a suicide prevention program centered on creating a support network for LGBTQ+ youth.

“The queer community has figured out, through pain and suffering, how to recreate families,” he said.

Bauermeister also emphasized the importance of facilitating both social justice and entrepreneurism to advance public health. He explained that embracing entrepreneurship can serve as an unexpected but powerful tool for advancing public health goals. He acknowledged however, that the approach comes with its own challenges.

“Yes, I believe that increasing prices for medications for communities that can't afford it is morally unethical from a social justice standpoint,” said Bauermeister. “I can also understand that if we really want to make big population health changes, we need to have better treatments.”

Bauermeister also told members of the YSPH community that civic action is integral in shaping health policy, stressing the necessity of public engagement, particularly voting, to push for policies that better health care accessibility. He urges students to be intentional about advocating for change.

Over the past 20 years, Bauermeister has conducted extensive research on the unique health challenges faced by sexual and gender minority communities. His work focuses on synergizing systems-level interventions, community engagement, digital strategies, and clinical innovations to optimize the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities. He is an Aspen Institute’s Health Innovators Fellow, and a Fellow of the Society for Behavioral Medicine. Bauermeister also is a member of the NIMHD Advisory Council and served as a co-author of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine 2022 consensus report: Measuring Sex, Gender Identity, and Sexual Orientation. He is a member of the editorial boards of the American Journal of Community Psychology, Journal of Community Psychology, Archives of Sexual Behavior, AIDS Education & Prevention, Annals of LGBTQ Public and Population Health, and Journal of Youth & Adolescence.

Dean Ranney’s speaker series continues to offer YSPH students and faculty a unique glimpse into the diverse career paths of exceptional public health leaders and encourages discussion of the important public health issues they are passionate about. Bauermeister’s discussion with Dean Ranney included a call to action, urging members of the YSPH community to advocate for structural change by engaging with their communities.

A full recording of Dr. Bauermeister’s talk is available on the YSPH YouTube page.