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Researchers from the University of Chicago Medicine provide a roadmap to help health providers better understand the unique needs of patients with multiple minority identities who face these overlapping health challenges.
LGBTQ (lesbien, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) patients who are also racial/ethnic minorities have a higher risk for poor health outcomes than white LGBTQ patients. These identities can operate independently or together to influence the patient's relationship with health care providers and decisions about their care. For example, racial/ethnic minority patients who also hold minority sexual orientation or gender identities may be less likely to share their status with a white health provider, which shuts down an opportunity to receive crucial preventive care.
Unfortunately, most clinicians are not prepared to address the needs of patients at the intersection of LGBTQ and racial/ethnic minority identities, and little research exists on this population's preferences for doctor-patient communication and shared decision-making. The UChicago Medicine team, hoping to provide resources to colleagues across the country, begins to address these gaps in the three articles.
Category(s):LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender) Issues
Source material from University of Chicago Medical Center
