By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Media Begin Focus on Next Iteration of ACA
    December 13, 2012
    Washington State Care
    Using Homecare for Positive Change in Healthcare
    August 14, 2017
    Do Electronic Health Records Reduce Malpractice Claims?
    February 2, 2013
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: How Health Care Workers Can Be More Sensitive To LGBTQ+ Patients
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health care > How Health Care Workers Can Be More Sensitive To LGBTQ+ Patients
Health care

How Health Care Workers Can Be More Sensitive To LGBTQ+ Patients

Kara Reynolds
Kara Reynolds
Share
8 Min Read
SHARE

  Members of the LGBTQ+ community face tremendous hurdles. They lack legal protections in employment and housing in many jurisdictions, and the Supreme Court is currently considering whether business owners can discriminate against them under the guise of “religious freedom.” They have enough issues — accessing health care shouldn’t be one of them. LGBTQ+ individuals face many barriers to care, among them the for-profit health care system in the U.S. However, they also face discrimination, both intentional and negligent, from providers. Medical professionals swear a solemn oath to “first, do no harm,” and this principle extends to treating members of the community with sensitivity.

Contents
  • Implicit Bias and Disparity of Treatment
  • LGBTQ+ Individuals Have Unique Needs That Change Throughout Life
  • Learning the Proper Terminology Matters
  • Strategies for Promoting Sensitivity
  • Exhibiting Sensitivity Improves Patient Outcomes for LGBTQ+ Community Members

Implicit Bias and Disparity of Treatment

Clinicians train to treat all patients equally. However, providers can’t check all implicit bias at the hospital door. Implicit bias leads medical professionals to unconsciously use body language or tone of voice to convey negative attitudes toward some patients. For example, imagine a severely obese patient with Type 2 diabetes arrives for his annual checkup snacking on a pastry. His doctor may not say, “Drop that cupcake, stat!” But the doctor’s chiding tone when he recommends the patient make dietary changes to manage the disease makes his exasperation clear. Many stereotypes about members of the LGBTQ+ community aren’t true. For example, many people consider individuals identifying as gay or bisexual as more sexually promiscuous than heterosexuals. In reality, people who identify anywhere along the sexual identity spectrum form committed monogamous relationships with the same frequency as straight, cisgender individuals. Implicit bias can create a disconnect between the patient and their provider. Imagine you’re a gay woman. You visit your doctor seeking information about sperm banks because you and your partner want to start a family. Your physician lectures you about sexually transmitted diseases before giving you a chance to speak. You’d probably feel insulted, making it difficult for you to fully trust your caregiver. People entrust their doctors with the most intimate details of their personal lives. To receive appropriate treatment, they must feel comfortable discussing matters like sexually transmitted diseases. When they mistrust their providers, LGBTQ+ community members hide specifics due to shame, which can lead to adverse health outcomes.

LGBTQ+ Individuals Have Unique Needs That Change Throughout Life

LGBTQ+ individuals have unique health care needs. For example, minority stress drives many to seek temporary relief in alcohol and drugs. As a result, 20 to 30% of gay and transgender people struggle with substance abuse. In comparison, rates fall to less than 10% among cisgender heterosexuals. Because health insurance coverage in the U.S. links to employment, many community members struggle to afford coverage. LGBTQ+ individuals lack legal protection from discrimination on the job in many areas. One in every five people with a different sexual or gender identity reports discrimination in promotion decisions. Many lose their jobs or quit in desperation. As a result, many members of the LGBTQ+ community start over or remain in entry-level positions. Such jobs often offer few, if any, benefits. And because this work pays little, many can’t afford individual coverage policies. They face a barrier to getting the mental and physical health care they need. Youth identifying as LGBTQ+ often face homelessness when they come out and their parents reject them. Fully 40% of homeless teenagers report their sexual or gender identity played a part in their plight. They face rape and assault living on the street. They wrestle with poor nutrition and battle the elements to survive. Older community members often face isolation and loneliness. They grapple with crushing poverty. Many times, their family members disown them. When their partner dies, they have no one to talk to. Because of earlier employment discrimination, they lack the financial resources to fund their retirement. If they must enter a nursing home, they face staff members denying their sexual or gender identity.

Learning the Proper Terminology Matters

Health care providers can improve sensitivity toward community members by learning the correct terminology. Words matter. Addressing individuals correctly serves as the first step in building trust. Learn and use these terms appropriately.

More Read

Important Medical Procedures for Those in Their 50s
5 Vital Things To Know About Ambulatory Detoxification
Requirements To Get In Partial Hospitalization Programs
A Guide to First Aid Response Treatment
7 Ways Technology is Improving Nursing and Patient Care
  • Gay: A person emotionally or romantically interested in others of the same gender.
  • Bisexual: A person interested in members of more than one sex, although not necessarily to the same degree.
  • Gender dysphoria: A state of extreme emotional distress created when someone’s physical gender doesn’t correspond with the one they identify as. This term often describes children and adolescents.
  • Sexual orientation: An inherent and immutable emotional or sexual attraction to other people.
  • Transgender: A person whose gender identity or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth.

Strategies for Promoting Sensitivity

When treating members of the LGBTQ+ community, health care providers can employ strategies to build a communication bridge. Here, too, sensitivity starts with language. If a patient says, “I’m gay,” use that word to describe their sexual orientation instead of saying “homosexual.” When taking health histories, avoid assumptions. If a patient indicates they’re married, don’t assume their spouse is a member of the opposite sex. Instead of asking a female patient, “Do you have a husband or boyfriend?” ask, “Are you in a committed relationship?” Let the patient guide the conversation. A simple, “What brings you in today?” gives you a starting point for the consultation. Remember, diseases don’t discriminate. Yes, a patient’s sexual or gender identity may contribute to their health concerns — or it may not. Anyone can suffer cardiovascular disease or stroke. Finally, do your best to hide implicit bias. If a patient named Joe walks in wearing high heels and a dress, smile and greet them the same way you would any other patient. Train your staff to check their responses. Quality care begins at the reception desk, and shocked reactions create mistrust even before you welcome the individual to the examination room.

Exhibiting Sensitivity Improves Patient Outcomes for LGBTQ+ Community Members

Members of the LGBTQ+ community face unique health challenges. Medical professionals should build their awareness of their needs and implement strategies to support these individuals. Only then will outcomes improve for all.

TAGGED:bedside mannerlgbtlgbtq communitylgbtq patientspatient care
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share
By Kara Reynolds
Follow:
Kara Reynolds is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Momish Magazine, an inclusive parenting magazine filled with parenting hacks, advice, and more to keep your beautiful family thriving. As a mom and stepmom, Kara hopes to normalize blended families and wants her readers to know that every family is beautiful and messy just how they are. When she's not writing, Kara enjoys pilates and likes a little coffee with her cream. Find more from Kara on Twitter @MomishMagazine.

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025
engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

Healing Hands: Navigating Medical Malpractice with a Lawyer
Health care

Healing Hands: Navigating Medical Malpractice with a Lawyer in Richmond

February 25, 2024
Is The Family Practice Shortage A Management Problem?
Health care

Is The Family Practice Shortage A Management Problem?

November 14, 2019
health life insurance
Health care

Minimizing the Health Impacts of Stress with Life Insurance

October 11, 2019
Health careObesitySpecialties

Should You Recommend Bariatric Surgery to Obese Patients?

May 30, 2017
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?