Background: There are broad LGBTQ+ health disparities, especially in the South. Until recently, LGBTQ+ health research has been limited in Texas compared to other areas of the country with large LGBTQ+ populations, in part due to the socially and politically challenging environments, but also because there has never been a centralized body to lead this work.

Proposed Solution to the Problem: The Texas PRIDE Health Collaborative includes more than 40 researchers and hosts 2 monthly meetings: a research working group to get feedback on study ideas, and the LGBTQ+ Health Seminar Series. This project will expand the collaborative and build patient and stakeholder perspectives into its activities to include opportunities such as workshops and seminars that are led by stakeholder partners and provide training on patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR)/comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER).

Objectives: The overall goal of this project is to improve patient-centered health outcomes for LGBTQ+ Texans. This project is an initial step towards this long-term goal that will be achieved through the following aims: Aim 1. Understand the needs and wants of diverse stakeholders regarding expansion of the collaborative. Aim 2.  Identify needed components of the collaborative to improve research capacity. Aim 3. Increase capacity to engage in PCOR/CER in LGBTQ+ health.

Activities: 
Year 1: Convene a 36-person, statewide planning council. Host 16 listening sessions across Texas. Develop new and adapted components of Citizen Scientist Training to create Citizen Scientist Training 2.0. Expand existing seminar series, with input from stakeholders. Develop a new workshop called Chat & Chews. 
Year 2: Engage at least 160 stakeholders in Texas in 50 engagement opportunities.

Projected Outcomes and Outputs:
Short-term outcomes during the project period include: 

• Increased understanding of PCOR/CER training needs. 
• Increased understanding of engagement barriers. 
• Increased ability to reach LGBTQ+ stakeholders in Texas. 
• Increased PCOR/CER knowledge among patient, stakeholder, and research partners. 
• Increased awareness and knowledge of practice/community-based research networks. 
• Increased understanding of LGBTQ+ health needs from the perspectives of patient, stakeholder, and researcher partners.

Medium-term outcomes (0-2 years post-project period) include: 

• Increase in the number of opportunities to engage in research training.

Long-term outcomes (3+ years post-project period) include: 

• Increased funding to conduct PCOR/CER, data about LGBTQ+ health, and specific interventions related to LGBTQ+ Texans’ needs.

The long-term impact of this project will improve patient-centered health outcomes in LGBTQ+ Texans.

Outputs:

• 36-member statewide planning council 
• Input from 16 listening sessions about training needs, health priorities, and barriers to engagement
• Schedules for LGBTQ+ Health Seminar Series, Community Engagement and Health Equity Speaker Series, and Chat & Chews
• Promotional materials, an engagement plan, and a sustainability plan
• Host 50 training and engagement opportunities

Patient and Stakeholder Engagement Plan: Implement a successful engagement strategy used by TransFORWARD and TPIF and build regional leadership teams in each of the eight Texas Public Health Regions led by one paid patient stakeholder and one other stakeholder. These teams will be members of the statewide planning council and meet monthly during the planning phase and at least quarterly during the implementation phase. Patients, researchers, and other stakeholders will be engaged monthly in trainings, seminars, and workshops.

Project Collaborators: Dell Medical School/UT Austin; Texas Health Institute/TransFORWARD; Texas Pride Impact Funds (TPIF).