Social prescribing and health inequalities in LGBT+ populations: A narrative review

Social prescribing (SP) has gained increasing attention as an approach to addressing non-medical determinants of health by linking individuals to community-based resources. While SP is frequently discussed in the context of health inequalities, its relevance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual and gender minority (LGBT+) populations has not been systematically examined. LGBT+ populations experience multidimensional health challenges shaped by social, structural, and institutional factors, including unmet social needs and barriers within healthcare systems, which may render SP conceptually relevant but empirically uncertain. This narrative review synthesizes and critically examines the international literature on SP with a particular focus on its conceptualization, application, and limitations in the context of LGBT+ health. A structured narrative search of major biomedical databases was conducted, complemented by title-based screening and review of relevant policy and practice sources. Findings were synthesized thematically. The available evidence directly addressing SP in LGBT+ populations is sparse and limited. Existing studies are predominantly descriptive or qualitative, often embedding LGBT+ individuals within broader vulnerable groups without disaggregated analysis. While inclusive SP models and services exist in practice, particularly within the UK, their effectiveness has not been rigorously evaluated. Overall, the literature reveals a substantial gap between the theoretical relevance of SP for LGBT+ health and the availability of robust empirical evidence to inform its implementation.