Healthcare and the LGBTQ community

Within the healthcare sphere, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people face specific challenges and hardships that make access to healthcare less equitable. According to the US Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA), some of the most common issues related to LGBTQ health are HIV/AIDS, breast and cervical cancer, hepatitis, mental health, substance use disorders, alcohol use, tobacco use, depression, access to care for transgender persons, issues surrounding marriage and family recognition, conversion therapy, refusal clause legislation, and laws that are intended to "immunize health care professionals from liability for discriminating against persons of whom they disapprove."^[1]

LGBTQ people may face barriers to accessing healthcare on the basis of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity or expression.^[2] Many avoid or receive inferior care due to perceived or real homophobia, transphobia, or discrimination by healthcare providers and institutions.^[2]^[3] In other words, negative personal experiences, or fear of experiencing discrimination may deter these individuals from accessing care.^[4]

^ "About GLMA". Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
^ ^a ^b Elk R (July 2021). Ramalingam SS (ed.). "The intersection of racism, discrimination, bias, and homophobia toward African American sexual minority patients with cancer within the health care system". Cancer. 127 (19). Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Cancer Society: 3500–3504. doi:10.1002/cncr.33627. LCCN 50001289. OCLC 01553275. PMID 34287834. S2CID 236158145.
^ "Guidelines for care of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients" (PDF). Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2006. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
^ Gochman DS (31 August 1997). Handbook of Health Behavior Research I: Personal and Social Determinants. Springer. ISBN 9780306454431 – via Google Books.

[About_GLMA-1] "About GLMA". Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. Retrieved 2008-12-28.

[Elk_2021-2] Elk R (July 2021). Ramalingam SS (ed.). "The intersection of racism, discrimination, bias, and homophobia toward African American sexual minority patients with cancer within the health care system". Cancer. 127 (19). Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Cancer Society: 3500–3504. doi:10.1002/cncr.33627. LCCN 50001289. OCLC 01553275. PMID 34287834. S2CID 236158145.

[Guidelines-3] "Guidelines for care of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients" (PDF). Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2006. Retrieved 2008-12-28.

[books.google.com-4] Gochman DS (31 August 1997). Handbook of Health Behavior Research I: Personal and Social Determinants. Springer. ISBN 9780306454431 – via Google Books.

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