Sajila Nudrat | Health Editor
Featured Image: When a person experiences discrimination in healthcare. they are more likely to postpone care. | Courtesy of Pexels
Seeking healthcare can be difficult, whether it be long waiting periods or lack of available physicians, a person may face many obstacles on their way into the doctor’s office. However, for some, it runs deeper than simply having to wait an hour or two to see their family doctor.
On average, 56 per cent of LGBTQ+ individuals have faced some form of discrimination while seeking medical treatment. The discrimination can manifest in the form an absence of proper gender designation areas on medical intake forms, or the blatant refusal to be provided specific services. It can be difficult for individuals to find LGBTQ+-friendly doctors, or ones that are properly taught about the medical issues surrounding the community.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community have reported being refused care because they were transgender or gender non-conforming. Some have even postponed receiving medical treatment when sick or injured due to the high levels of discrimination and disrespect. According to the National LGBTQ+ task force who conducted a report on the experiences of members of the LGBTQ+ community in the health care sector, 28 per cent of the respondents to their study said that they were subjected to harassment in medical settings. While some were refused care, others reported that there was a significant lack of knowledge on the part of medical providers, where the patient instead had to inform the health care providers on issues such as transgender care. The National LGBTQ+ task force says that more than a quarter of their respondents reported turning to drugs or alcohol to cope with the way they have been treated, and 41 per cent of have attempted suicide.
While generally members within the community face stigma and discrimination, some experience it more so than others. LGBTQ+ people of colour are more than twice as likely to avoid a doctor’s office because of past negative experiences.
Issues in the public health sector for members of the LGBTQ+ community stem from both personal bias and lack of a proper informative system. Members not only have difficulty finding a medical facility that is accepting and tolerant, but one that is knowledgeable, informed and properly equipped.
