Interesting! When I wrote yesterday about some LGBTQ people reporting that their health is better because of their identity, this is not the kind of story I was thinking about. But how cool!

As I was reading, something else occurred to me that's kinda sorta related. Data shows that Americans living with HIV, so long as they're in effective treatment and not skipping meds, tend to live longer than the average American.

This fact puzzled experts at first, because HIV drugs are not particularly good for you. They aren't highly toxic, but they can cause problems for people who need to use them long-term.

So what was up with HIV-positive people being healthier than the average person?

The answer turned out to be the quarterly doctor visit and blood tests they need to get their prescriptions renewed. Regular contact with their GP means things like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and early signs of cancer get detected and dealt with faster than for most people. So, measurably longer lifespans result.

Not only is this fascinating and counter intuitive, but researchers are now starting to use the data to help answer questions about whether more frequent doctor visits are useful in improving health and quality of life for the average person.

So I guess trans people who need regular doctor visits may experience some of the same positive effects!