LGBTQ Health: Health Care Provider Resources

Wisconsin’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth and adults are at risk for adverse health outcomes. These risks are higher compared to their non-LGBTQ peers. These risks include:

  • Alcohol, drug, and tobacco use.
  • Safety and violence.
  • Mental health.
  • HIV risks.

Reasons for poorer health outcomes include:

  • Reluctance to share their sexual orientation or gender identity with their health care providers. This reluctance is often caused by negative societal attitudes.
  • Lack of training for health care providers to provide the right care to LGBTQ people.
  • Limited access to health care due to structural barriers.
  • Lack of appropriate prevention services for the LGBTQ community.
  • Lack of communication between patients and health care providers.

Most medical training programs in the U.S. do not focus on LGBTQ cultural competence. Many health care providers do not know how to create a supportive environment for LGBTQ patients.

The following resources can help health care providers understand LGBTQ people and their health needs.

Resources

Glossary

 
Last revised October 28, 2022