Going to the doctor can be an anxiety-inducing experience. Regardless of how comfortable one is with their medical provider, the prospect of test results bearing bad news can make a routine visit understandably nerve-wracking.
But what if one’s apprehension regarding medical care was due to other reasons? What if going to the doctor meant being called the wrong name and pronouns for the entire visit? What if your visit led to being grilled about your life and hobbies as if they’re to blame for whatever ails you? What if you had to change how you looked or dressed to get treatment?
Sadly, these experiences are not uncommon for adults who identify as LBGT. According to a new survey out of the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), one third of adults who identify as LBGT have experienced discrimination when they are treated by a health care provider. Negative experiences included but were not limited to:
- A provider assuming something about them without asking (1).
- A provider implying or suggesting they were to blame for a health problem (1).
- A provider ignoring or rejecting a request or question (1).
These negative experiences make patients less likely to seek care and can impact their health as a result. Even when LBGT adults continue to seek care despite these negative experiences, discrimination can lead to increased levels of anxiety or distress, which in turn can contribute to mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. Given that 46% of LBGT adults report being unable to receive mental health services when they needed them in the last three years, this only worsens existing issues (1).
LBGT patients are people, just like anyone else. Thankfully, there are things practitioners can do to provide a more welcoming attitude to LBGT patients.
- Don’t assume one’s legal name and gender markers are what they use. Ask patients what they wish to be called by and what pronouns they want you to use.
- Don’t make assumptions: Never assume something about a patient just because they are LBGT.
- Have material in your office or medical facility that identifies your practice as a safe space. This can include patient materials about health concerns that disproportionately impact LBGT individuals, having a private policy on display, and showcasing rainbow stickers or signs that state the area is a safe space (4).
- Ensure your intake forms are inclusive. There are examples online one can use as templates like those available from Queering Medicine (3).
- Explicitly use inclusive language and images both in the office and on all social media.
As pride month approaches, let’s work to ensure medicine is welcoming to all our patients, regardless of who they are.
1.Survey: LGBT Adults Are Twice as Likely as Others to Say They’ve Been Treated Unfairly or with Disrespect by a Doctor or Other Health Care Provider. KFF. Published April 2, 2024. Accessed May 20, 2024. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/press-release/survey-lgbt-adults-are-twice-as-likely-as-others-to-say-theyve-been-treated-unfairly-or-with-disrespect-by-a-doctor-or-other-health-care-provider/
2. Queering Medicine - Intake Form Guidance for Providers. Queering Medicine. Published July 8, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2024. https://www.queeringmedicine.com/resources/intake-form-guidance-for-providers
3. Daniel H, Butkus R. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Disparities: Executive Summary of a Policy Position Paper From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2015;163(2):135-137. doi:10.7326/M14-2482
4. Bourns A, Kucharski E, Peterkin A, Risdon C, eds. Caring for LGBTQ2S People : A Clinical Guide. Second edition. University of Toronto Press; 2022.
