Health and Health Care of Sexual and Gender Minorities

Abstract

Research on the social dimensions of health and health care among sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) has grown rapidly in the last two decades. However, a comprehensive review of the extant interdisciplinary scholarship on SGM health has yet to be written. In response, we offer a synthesis of recent scholarship. We discuss major empirical findings and theoretical implications of health care utilization, barriers to care, health behaviors, and health outcomes, which demonstrate how SGMs continue to experience structural- and interactional-level inequalities across health and medicine. Within this synthesis, we also consider the conceptual and methodological limitations that continue to beleaguer the field and offer suggestions for several promising directions for future research and theory building. SGM health bridges the scholarly interests in social and health sciences and contributes to broader sociological concerns regarding the persistence of sexuality- and gender-based inequalities.

Health and Access to Gender-Affirming Care During COVID-19: Experiences of transmasculine individuals and men assigned female sex at birth

“…Expansions of telehealth as a result of COVID-19 made geographically distant patient–provider connections possible, increasing options for transmasculine individuals seeking culturally and medically competent care. Previous literature has explored how trans patients often encounter a “knowledge deficit” from their medical providers ( Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Snelgrove et al, 2012 ). Too often, trans patients are tasked with educating their providers on their anatomy and medical needs as a result of knowledge deficits and inadequate medical training and clinical guidelines for treating trans patients ( Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Shuster, 2016 , 2021 ; Snelgrove et al, 2012 ).…”

“…Previous literature has explored how trans patients often encounter a “knowledge deficit” from their medical providers ( Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Snelgrove et al, 2012 ). Too often, trans patients are tasked with educating their providers on their anatomy and medical needs as a result of knowledge deficits and inadequate medical training and clinical guidelines for treating trans patients ( Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Shuster, 2016 , 2021 ; Snelgrove et al, 2012 ). Furthermore, prior qualitative studies have revealed that experiences of (or anticipation of) being misgendered, discriminated against, and experiencing stigmatizing interactions with medical providers and staff create barriers to care for trans individuals ( Guss et al, 2019 ; Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Johnson et al, 2019 ; Samuels et al, 2018 ; Xavier et al, 2013 ).…”

“…Too often, trans patients are tasked with educating their providers on their anatomy and medical needs as a result of knowledge deficits and inadequate medical training and clinical guidelines for treating trans patients ( Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Shuster, 2016 , 2021 ; Snelgrove et al, 2012 ). Furthermore, prior qualitative studies have revealed that experiences of (or anticipation of) being misgendered, discriminated against, and experiencing stigmatizing interactions with medical providers and staff create barriers to care for trans individuals ( Guss et al, 2019 ; Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Johnson et al, 2019 ; Samuels et al, 2018 ; Xavier et al, 2013 ). Thus, expansions to telehealth may help facilitate connections between patients and providers who are equipped to treat trans populations while aiding in the removal of barriers to care for these groups.…”

“…Extant research suggests that transgender individuals already face health care barriers, including discrimination, structural stigma, financial barriers, inadequate access, and providers without sufficient knowledge to provide trans-inclusive care ( Hsieh & Shuster, 2021 ; Johnson et al, 2019 ; Kcomt et al, 2020 ). A cross-sectional study using data from the 2015 Transgender Health Survey reported that 22.8% of trans participants reported avoiding health care due to anticipated stigma, and trans men were among the most likely to report avoiding care ( Kcomt et al, 2020 ).…”

Factors Affecting Public Opinion on the Denial of Healthcare to Transgender Persons

“…In essence, status characteristics converge to uniquely shape opportunity structures and exposure to different systems of oppression (e.g., transphobia, racism), producing unequally stratified social conditions within a society (Collins 2015). Pursuant to an intercategorical complexity approach (McCall 2005), we acknowledge the artificiality and arbitrary nature of existing social categories, while also recognizing these classifications have very real, material consequences that coalesce to produce social inequalities in contemporary U.S. society, including those faced by trans people (Howard et al 2019; Hsieh and shuster 2021; Lacombe-Duncan 2016).…”