3. LGBTI-related data gathering in national surveys related to health and wellbeing

This session presented national surveys in different Nordic studies which have included LGBTI-related data gathering, as well as the European Social Survey. The common features of these surveys are that sampling design aims to ensure representativeness by e.g., age and region, and the sample sizes are large. These surveys often cover a broad range of topics, but only a few questions per topic. All Nordic countries have included LGBTI-related questions in their national surveys in the 2020s but with variable questions. This session presented several surveys from Nordic countries related to health and wellbeing, but the set is not a comprehensive list of all available general population surveys from Nordic countries. The session was chaired by Jaana Suvisaari, research professor, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare.

3.1. Youth in Iceland

Þórhildur Halldórsdóttir, Associate professor, Reykjavik University

The Youth in Iceland survey (see also Appendix) was launched in 1992 for adolescents aged 14–15 years, and it was expanded in 2001 to cover children aged 10–12 years and in 2004 to cover adolescents aged 16–18 years. Gender identity has been included in the survey since 2018 for the age group 16–18 years, since 2020 for the age group 13–15 years, and in 2021 for the age group 10–12 years. The results have been reported using three categories (female, male, other), and have shown poorer mental health among those belonging to the ‘other’ group.

Sexual attraction to the opposite sex and to the same sex was asked using a response scale from 1 (not at all attracted) to 5 (very attracted) in earlier years of the survey (the latest year when included was 2018). Results showed a tendency of bisexual youth to have poorer mental health than those who were hetero- or homosexual.

3.2. European Social Survey

Heikki Ervasti, Professor, University of Turku

The European Social Survey measures the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour patterns of diverse populations in more than thirty nations. It is a research infrastructure providing high quality data measuring change (and stability) over time within and between European countries in their living conditions, social structure, public opinion and attitudes. The survey development started in 1995, and the first survey round was conducted in 2002. In September 2025, the twelfth round of ESS was launched.

The survey consists of core module and rotating modules, which are selected following an open Call for Proposals. The ESS is a general survey on the total populations of each country, and minorities are represented in proportion to their share of the population. It is possible to investigate the attitudes, perceptions and behaviour of the total populations. As LGBTI+ relevant items, all rounds have included statements on attitudes toward gay men and lesbians, and a question on discrimination based on sexuality. Gender identity-related questions have not thus far been included.

3.3. Ungdata (Norway)

Jacob Evje, Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Oslo

Ungdata survey (see Appendix) was started in 2010, and its target group is lower and upper secondary school students (ages 13–19). It is usually collected every 3 years per municipality. Since 2010, over one million young people in grades 8–13 from almost all Norwegian municipalities have participated in the Ungdata surveys, and since 2017, over 150,000 children in grades 5–7 have participated in the Ungdata junior.

Different versions of LGBTI questions have been included in additional modules since 2010, but the current version was included in the national survey for high school students since 2023. Regarding gender identity, the question is “Are you a girl or a boy”, with answering options girl/boy/other gender identity. Regarding the sexual orientation, the question is “There is a diversity of sexual orientations. Which of the following fits you best?”. The answering options are heterosexual/gay/lesbian/bisexual/other (for example pansexual, queer, asexual, fluid)/unsure/still figuring it out/don’t want to answer.

3.4. Quality of Life Survey and other Norwegian adult population surveys

Hanna Stangebye Arnesen, Coordinator for equality related statistics, Statistics Norway

The Quality of Life Survey is an annual, representative sample web survey, with a sample of 40,000 and about 17,000 respondents in 2024. Revised questions on sexual orientation have been included since 2022. Revision was done as focus group interviews showed that questions about sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression were not perceived as sensitive.

The question on sexual orientation is ”Do you consider yourself to be…” and the answering options are heterosexual/homosexual/lesbian/bisexual/pansexual/queer/asexual/fluid/other sexual orientation/don’t know/prefer not to answer. The most common answers were 88.7% heterosexual, 6.1% either don’t know or prefer not to answer, 2.2% bisexual, 1% homosexual, 0.5% pansexual, and 0.4% lesbian.

Transgender respondents are identified using indirect questions based on gender identity that does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. The initial questions are What sex were you assigned at birth? and What gender do you identify as?, with answering options man/woman/non-binary/other gender identity/do not want to answer/do not know. Using these two questions, 0.4% of the respondents were trans men, 0.3% trans women, 0.3% non-binary and 1.0% did not know or did not want to answer.

3.5. The National Public Health Survey (Sweden)

Sara Ström, Research officer, coordinator, Public Health Agency of Sweden

The National Public Health Survey (see Appendix) is conducted every second year. It is based on a simple random sample of the Swedish population aged 16–84 and includes questions on living conditions, lifestyles and health. The latest survey was conducted in 2024, with a sample of 45,000 individuals and a response rate 39.4% or 17,624 individuals.

The survey has included questions on gender identity since 2015. Two questions have been included. The first question is “Are you, or have you been, a transperson? A transperson has a gender identity and/or a gender expression that does not correspond to the legal sex assigned at birth. For example, someone who is born and raised as a woman but feels more like a man”, with the answering options yes, no, not sure. In addition, gender identity is asked with answering options female, male, non-binary, wish not to categorize myself, not sure.

Sexual identity is asked with the question “How would you define your sexual identity? Select only one option. If several options apply, mark the one that best applies.“ The answering options include heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, other, and not sure.

For the period 2018–2021, approximately 2.1% identified as bisexual and 0.9% as homosexual, and 0.5% reported transgender experience.

The Public Health Agency has also conducted other surveys with LGBTI+ related questions. UngKAB, Sexuality and health among young people for ages 16–29, has been collected three times (2009, 2015, 2023). SRHR survey for ages 16–84 focuses on sexual and reproductive health and has been conducted twice (2017, 2024).

3.6. Danish data on LGBT+, health and wellbeing

Jane Greve, professor, The Danish Center for Social Science Research

LGBTI+-related questions have been included in three recent representative surveys: Survey of Health, Impairment and Living Conditions (SHILD-2020 and SHILD-2025), SHILD-TRALE – 2020 and Young in 2023 – Is There Space for Everyone (see Appendix).

SHILD is a survey with focus on living conditions and disability as well as physical and mental health, widely used to study health and living conditions across different population groups. It has included questions on gender identity and sexual orientation since 2020. The survey is sent to a random sample (N=38,000) of individuals aged 18–64, and the response rate was 47% in 2020. SHILD-2025 is currently running (October/November 2025).

The question on sexual orientation is “How would you describe your sexual orientation?”, with answering options homosexual/bisexual/heterosexual/asexual/None of the above. Please specify: /prefer not to answer.

Gender identity is asked in the SHILD-2025 with two questions: “What sex were you assigned at birth? For example, the sex listed on your birth certificate” with the answer options female/male/prefer not to answer, and “Which of the following best describes your gender identity? The gender you identify with today” with answering options female/male/non-binary/other. Please specify: /prefer not to answer.

Survey of Health, Impairment and Living Conditions among the transgender population (SHILD-TRALE) was conducted in 2020 and was sent to all legal transgender people in Denmark in 2021 aged 18–64 years, with 46.3% response rate. It included most of the survey questions from SHILD as well as a list of questions specific on living conditions among transgender people.

Young in 2023 – Is There Space for Everyone? survey was sent to 20% of all young people aged 15–25 in 2023 via Digital Post. It was a survey on well-being, mental health and inclusion, and included the same questions on gender identity and sexual orientation ad SHILD 2020. The response rate was 19.6%, and sample size 27,493.

In the SHILD-2020, 2.0% identified as homosexual, 2.6% as bisexual, and 1.3% as transgender. In the Young in 2023, 2.0% identified as homosexual, 8.1% as bisexual, and 1.9% as transgender.

3.7. School Health Promotion Study and Healthy Finland Study

Marja Holm, Senior researcher, THL

The School Health Promotion Study (see Appendix) provides data on children’s and adolescents’ self-rated health, well-being, lifestyle habits, schoolwork and studying. It is a nationwide census study that is conducted every two years by an anonymous and voluntary classroom-administered questionnaire.

In 2025, 269,868 participated in the study, with 85% response rate in the primary school (4^th and 5^th grade, 10–12 years), 73% in the lower secondary school (8^th and 9^th grade, 14–16 years), 70% in the general upper secondary school (1^st and 2^nd grade, 16 to 19 years), and 37% in vocational school (1^st and 2^nd year, usually 16 to 19 years).

Gender identity has been asked since 2017 in the lower and upper secondary and vocational schools and since 2023 in the primary school level. Two questions are used: “What is your official gender?” with response options boy/girl and “What gender do you identify as?” with response options boy/girls/both/neither/it varies. Note that the Act on legal recognition of gender entered into force in April 2023 and allows for people aged 18 years and over a legal gender recognition based on the person’s own account of their experience of gender. This means that the set of questions used in the School Health Promotion study cannot be used to identify transgender people who 18 years are over, since their official gender may not be the sex assigned at birth. In 2025, the identified gender was the same as the official gender for 96.3% of the respondents, 1.0% identified other gender (boy/girl) than official (girl/boy), 0.5% identified as both, 0.8% as neither, and 1.5% responded that it varies.

Sexual orientation is asked by “Which of the following best describes your sexual orientation at this moment?” with response options straight/bisexual or pansexual/gay/none of these options describe me/not sure. The question has been asked since 2017 in the lower and upper secondary and vocational schools. In 2025, 84% identified as heterosexual, 6.6% as bisexual or pansexual, 2.5% as gay, 2.1% responded that none of the options described them, and 4.9% were not sure.

The Healthy Finland-Survey (see Appendix) provides population-based data on the health, welfare and service experiences of Finnish adults aged 20 or over. Information is available on the entire adult population, different population groups and by wellbeing service counties. In 2024, 26,682 adults participated in the study (response rate 44%, based on a random sample, n= 61,600). Since 2022, it has included the question “Do you belong to a gender minority or sexual minority?”, with answering options no/a gender minority (such as trans people or intersex people)/a sexual minority (such as gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, pansexuals or asexuals). In addition, the survey included on experienced gender (man/woman/other), while the official gender was obtained from register information. Of the participants, 5.4% (N=498) reported belonging to a sexual minority and 0.3% (N=28) to a gender minority.

In both surveys, LGBTI+ people had poorer self-reported health than other respondents.