Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this project is to: (a) explore the current experiences and needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population when accessing healthcare services. LGBT individuals are known to experience adverse situations when accessing health care services.
METHODS: Qualitative focus groups were conducted with members of the LGBT community utilizing a cross-sectional convenience sample from two organizations serving the LGBT community. Analysis was done to examine themes and to look for differences and similarities within and between LGBT sub-populations.
RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the analysis including: issues accessing LGBT providers, need for LGBT competency and sensitivity, and accessibility to health insurance.
CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the healthcare experiences of LGBT individuals and the barriers faced when accessing healthcare informs effective solutions that improve access and quality of care for members of the LGBT community in Orange County, California and beyond.
Notes
References:
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Sigma Membership
Upsilon Beta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
DEI, LGBTQIA+, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Public and Community Health, Cultural Context and Care
Recommended Citation
Nation, Austin, "LGBT Healthcare Access Experiences - “I Had a Doctor Who Literally Tried to Kill Me"" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 30.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/30
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-18
LGBT Healthcare Access Experiences - “I Had a Doctor Who Literally Tried to Kill Me"
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
PURPOSE: The purpose of this project is to: (a) explore the current experiences and needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population when accessing healthcare services. LGBT individuals are known to experience adverse situations when accessing health care services.
METHODS: Qualitative focus groups were conducted with members of the LGBT community utilizing a cross-sectional convenience sample from two organizations serving the LGBT community. Analysis was done to examine themes and to look for differences and similarities within and between LGBT sub-populations.
RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the analysis including: issues accessing LGBT providers, need for LGBT competency and sensitivity, and accessibility to health insurance.
CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the healthcare experiences of LGBT individuals and the barriers faced when accessing healthcare informs effective solutions that improve access and quality of care for members of the LGBT community in Orange County, California and beyond.
Description
LGBT individuals are known to experience challenges when accessing health care services. This study explored the experiences of LGBT individuals. Twenty-seven participants were interviewed in focus groups. Three themes emerged from the analysis including: issues accessing LGBT providers, need for LGBT competency and sensitivity, and accessibility to health insurance. Healthcare providers in all settings can mitigate the challenges experienced and improve health outcomes for this community.