The world has become more inclusive and accepting of different sexual orientations. The LGBTQ community involves persons that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. The healthcare system has mainly altered its practices by incorporating this patient population and focusing on meeting their unique health needs. The purpose of this paper is to understand better gynecological health care for lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals.
Gender and sexuality concepts.
Sexual orientation is fluid and includes various identities; however, for this discourse, the focus is on lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons. A bisexual person is a person who is attracted to women and men (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2023). A lesbian is a woman who is emotionally and physically attracted to other females. The term transgender is used to describe a diverse cohort of people who transcend customarily described gender types such that they abandon the traditional gender norms (CAP, 2021). The group encompasses transsexuals, transvestites, drag queens and kings, bigender persons and transgenderists.
Social and political context.
The social and political environment for lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons differs depending on the region. Although the world has become more liberal about gender identities, there are still obstacles hampering this population’s freedoms. In particular, not all nations around the globe recognize same-sex marriage as such; some regions deny this population marriage rights. For instance, Uganda has banned same-sex marriages, and whoever is found engaging in such is sentenced to death. Further, socially, the media has played a fundamental part in influencing societal perceptions by representing this population in movies and music videos. Notably, media can shape attitudes and views about a population. Mainly, NETFLIX has done a tremendous job influencing viewers’ attitudes and opinions about this population in the films they produce, such as sex education.
Social determinants of health affecting lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals.
The social determinants of health impacting lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender individuals include mental health problems, drug and alcohol abuse, sexual stigmatization, sexual and reproductive health disparities and harassment and bullying. Sexual stigmatization impacts health by prompting unequal access to healthcare. Mainly, this stigma linked to sexual orientation affects life opportunities and social conditions provided to sexual minorities. People from this population have limited access to social networks, social support, prestige, power and money (Rosendale, 2022). Also, This population is at risk of mental health problems such as depression and anxiety as they are prone to discrimination from people in society. The stigma they feel in the community impacts their emotional and psychological well-being, which, in severe circumstances, may result in suicide. Another problem encountered by this population is drug and alcohol abuse, where they seek comfort from drugs and alcohol to counter the emotions and feelings from stigma and discrimination from society (CAP, 2021). The more this population use drugs and alcohol, the more they rise the number of persons experiencing mental health issues. Lastly, this population encounters sexual and reproductive health disparities where they have no access to culturally competent health services for sexual and reproductive health (CAP, 2021). As a consequence, this population encounters inequality in contraceptive access and prevention of sexually transmitted infections.
Barriers to health care.
This population may encounter various obstacles hamper them from accessing healthcare services crucial to improving their overall well-being. One obstacle is the lack of culturally competent healthcare professionals, which is disadvantageous as it discourages this population from accessing these healthcare services as they fear being judged (Aleshire et al., 2019). Another barrier to healthcare for this cohort is the lack of financial sources. Mainly, same-sex couples may have inadequate resources to get insurance coverage. Moreover, transgender people have economic challenges that bar them from affording crucial healthcare services (CAP, 2021). Besides, transgender individuals are excluded from some insurance policies. Therefore, they are hindered from getting essential services to improve their well-being.
Health care disparities.
The healthcare disparities this population encounters refer to the differences in access to healthcare services compared to other patient populations. These disparities include the following: one, lesbians, transgender and bisexual individuals have inadequate access to healthcare services as they encounter culturally incompetent healthcare professionals, have a fear of judgment and experience discrimination in society (Yerra & Yarra, 2022). Secondly, this population encounter high levels of mental health issues, which are exacerbated by discrimination and sexual stigmatization. The mental health disparity continues to increase since the existing mental health services fail to meet the unique needs of this population. Another health disparity this population encounters is substance abuse differences, where they seek comfort from drugs and alcohol to deal with stigma and discrimination in society (Yerra & Yarra, 2022). Another health difference is sexual and reproductive health disparity, where bisexuals and lesbians have a tough time acquiring contraceptives for planned parenthood. Besides, transgender individuals have a problem accessing reproductive healthcare services that consider their unique needs and challenges.
In summary, this discussion examines the evolving landscape of healthcare for transgender, bisexual and lesbian individuals. Although the world has become more accepting of diversity, this population faces various barriers when accessing healthcare services. Tackling these obstacles requires collaborative efforts from society, legislators and healthcare institutions. Every person, regardless of their sexual or gender identity, should be granted equal and fair access to healthcare services.
References
Aleshire, M. E., Ashford, K., Fallin-Bennett, A., & Hatcher, J. (2019). Primary care providers’ attitudes related to LGBTQ people: A narrative literature review. Health promotion practice, 20(2), 173-187. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524839918778835
CAP. (2021). Protecting and Advancing Health Care for Transgender Adult Communities. Retrieved from Center for American Progress: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/protecting-advancing-health-care-transgender-adult-communities/
The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2023). Defining LGBTQ Terms and Concepts. Retrieved from The Annie E. Casey Foundation: https://www.aecf.org/blog/lgbtq-definitions
Rosendale, N. (2022). Social determinants of health in neurology. Neurologic Clinics, 40(1), 231-247. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ncl.2021.08.012
Yerra, S., & Yarra, P. (2022). Understanding health disparities among LGBTQ populations and future needs. Evidence-Based Nursing, 25(1), 21-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ebnurs-2020-103328
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