By National LGBT health education center

A visit to a health care facility can make people nervous for any number of reasons. Some people may be uncomfortable revealing sensitive information to health care professionals who need it to provide certain services. Others find it difficult to talk about private health concerns. Creating an environment in which these conversations are more comfortable for the patient is an important goal for all health care staff. Because health care is for everyone, we must be prepared to serve people of all races, ethnicities, religions, ages, and backgrounds. When people have bad experiences with health care staff simply because they are (or seem) different, they may hide important information about themselves – or worse, they may not return for needed health care. This guide has been developed to help health care staff provide an affirmative, inclusive, and respectful environment for all clients, with a focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Many LGBT individuals have difficulty finding health care where they feel included and accepted. Negative encounters can occur with any staff member LGBT people meet, from the time they arrive for a visit until the time they leave. These incidents could happen with a security guard, receptionist, nurse, case manager, medical assistant, doctor, or other health care provider. Some LGBT people have reported being refused care because they are LGBT. Others say they have overheard jokes or slurs, or have received insensitive criticisms about their appearance or behavior. In many cases, problems arise from simple oversights or mistakes made by well-meaning staff who lack understanding about how to interact with LGBT people. For LGBT people who have experienced stigma and discrimination during their lives, even small mistakes can bring up past negative experiences. These feelings can affect their willingness to seek health care again. Unless we communicate with knowledge and understanding about the health concerns, barriers to care, and other needs that are common among LGBT people, they may not get the services they need. LGBT people are very diverse. In addition to being LGBT, they may be any race or ethnicity, rich or poor, speakers of English or other languages, and in families that are or may not be religious. All of these factors, and others, can affect their health care experience. In order to provide services and care to LGBT people in the most effective way, health care staff must be able to understand how LGBT people’s identities, experiences, and relationships with the world around them might affect their health. In addition, many non-LGBT people have LGBT family members, and may feel hurt if their family members are not respected. Making LGBT people and their families feel safe and included can lead to a more trusting relationship with health care providers, and improved communication about their unique needs for care. To help all of us provide the health care LGBT people need, this guide will cover LGBT terms and concepts as well as some common health concerns. It also includes recommended practices for communicating with LGBT people, providing them with good customer service, and creating a safe, affirming, and inclusive environment. As we will see, these practices can help provide better services for everyone else as well.

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