We are in This Together: Promoting Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Tobacco Research for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations

Introduction: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals have higher tobacco use prevalence and consequently higher burden of tobacco-caused diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular disease compared with their heterosexual or cisgender counterparts. Yet, there is a critical gap in research focused on measuring SGM tobacco-related health disparities and addressing unmet needs of SGM individuals in the context of nicotine and tobacco research. Aims and Methods: In this commentary, we summarize recommendations discussed during a pre-conference workshop focused on challenges and opportunities in conducting SGM tobacco control research at the 2019 Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Annual Meeting. Results: Specifically, we recommend defining and measuring SGM identity in all nicotine and tobacco research routinely, using novel methods to engage a demographically diverse sample of the SGM population, and eliciting SGM community voices in tobacco control research. Conclusions: Addressing these critical research gaps will enable the scientific community to generate the data to fully understand and support SGM individuals in tobacco use prevention and cessation.