The hurdles faced by individuals identifying as queer when seeking for and by healthcare professionals when providing sexual and reproductive healthcare services in South Africa.

Abstract

Background:Sexual and reproductive healthcare services and needs (SRHSN) are essential for improving overall health and well-being. Queer people face obstacles not just in obtaining and receiving SRHSN, but also in provisioning of these services by healthcare professionals (HCPs). Methods: In this article we have performed a total of 55 qualitative one-one interviews. Purposive sampling was employed to select all HCPs, and respondent-driven sampling (RDS) was used to choose all queer people. Data was collected in seven district public hospitals and two non-governmental clinics which focused on queer-related healthcare in Gauteng Province, South Africa (SA) and data was analyzed using thematic content analysis. Result: Six main themes emerged from the data demonstrating that HCPs and queer people had similar, contrasting, and different challenges when rendering and receiving SRHSN. These themes include HCPs belief that queer people are afraid, while queer people believe that HCPs have negative attitudes, and are perceived to be gatekeepers. HCPs highlighted being surprised and confused about gender identity, healthcare disparities and familial problems, and highlighted HCPs' incompetence in queer-related healthcare, and queer people engagement as a barrier. Discussion/conclusion: Policies need to be strengthened to address and ensure inclusivity in the healthcare sector and the creation of new creative, including innovative, healthcare solutions to address SRHSN for queer people. This approach has the potential to bridge gaps and address difficulties confronting both HCPs and queer people.