A 2017 survey by the Center for American Progress provides unsettling statistics about discrimination and mistreatment at physicians’ offices. Eight percent of LGBTQ respondents reported that within that year, a healthcare provider had refused them a visit due to their sexual orientation. When they did receive treatment, 9 percent reported that the healthcare provider spoke to them using abusive language.
Transgender respondents described more extreme experiences, with 29 percent reporting healthcare providers refused them a visit due to their gender identity, and 21 percent reporting the healthcare provider spoke to them using abusive language. In addition, 12 percent of transgender people reported that within the year, a healthcare provider had denied them gender transition care.
Such experiences can trigger severe emotional distress, which often has its own consequences. According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, such discriminatory treatment can be associated with the LGBTQ community’s having higher rates of mental health issues, suicide, and substance abuse than the national average.
Some community health centers are designed specifically to serve the needs of LGBTQ individuals. However, 13 states do not have any centers like this. In the states where they do exist, most are in metropolitan areas, leaving LGBTQ individuals who live outside of cities in a predicament, especially if they have already been denied care.
Behavioral and mental health challenges can also impede the LGBTQ community from achieving optimal care. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “LGBTQ people with mental health conditions may also find themselves fighting a double stigma. Many will experience prejudice based on their sexual and/or gender identity as well as the stigma associated with mental illness.” This double stigma can potentially discourage LGBTQ persons from seeking treatment for mental health issues.
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