Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study
Purpose: To understand the complex healthcare experiences of women identifying as lesbian or bisexual. who are also women of color, veterans, and/or 65 years of age and older. Methods: Inclusion criteria were age 25 or older, Los Angeles County resident, self-identification as a lesbian or bisexual...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Mary Ann Liebert
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Health Equity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/HEQ.2017.0041 |
| _version_ | 1827386841646497792 |
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| author | Sue LaVaccare Allison L. Diamant Julie Friedman Karen T. Singh Jessica A. Baker Tayler A. Rodriguez Susan R. Cohen Farina Y. Dary Janet Pregler Janet Pregler |
| author_facet | Sue LaVaccare Allison L. Diamant Julie Friedman Karen T. Singh Jessica A. Baker Tayler A. Rodriguez Susan R. Cohen Farina Y. Dary Janet Pregler Janet Pregler |
| author_sort | Sue LaVaccare |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: To understand the complex healthcare experiences of women identifying as lesbian or bisexual. who are also women of color, veterans, and/or 65 years of age and older.
Methods: Inclusion criteria were age 25 or older, Los Angeles County resident, self-identification as a lesbian or bisexual woman, and as an African American, Latina, Asian-Pacific Islander, and/or a veteran. For the age 65 years and older group, participants were eligible regardless of their veteran status or race/ethnicity. Five focus groups were conducted (n=35) and the same questions were asked addressing their comfort interacting with healthcare providers, the provider knowing their sexual orientation, characteristics of a perfect provider, and barriers to care. Structured qualitative analyses were performed.
Results: Participants identified concerns that providers often hold to heterosexual cultural norms. Participants varied on preferences for providers of the same race/ethnicity as themselves. Lesbians who are 65 years and older identified legal barriers as major concerns. All groups identified incorrect provider assumptions about sexual orientation and sexual practices as frequently compromising their care. Participants supported the idea of certification for providers skilled in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) health, but expressed skepticism that such programs would necessarily result in better care.
Conclusion: Healthcare provider trainings need to address the specific concerns and experiences of underrepresented lesbian and bisexual women. Healthcare environments must be transformed to effectively address their needs. More research is needed on the separate healthcare experiences of specific marginalized populations related to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:52:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-262d077a98464dec852ee82f7ea72235 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2473-1242 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:52:26Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | Mary Ann Liebert |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Equity |
| spelling | doaj.art-262d077a98464dec852ee82f7ea722352024-01-09T04:04:56ZengMary Ann LiebertHealth Equity2473-12422018-07-012113113810.1089/HEQ.2017.0041Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative StudySue LaVaccare0Allison L. Diamant1Julie Friedman2Karen T. Singh3Jessica A. Baker4Tayler A. Rodriguez5Susan R. Cohen6Farina Y. DaryJanet Pregler7Janet Pregler8Los Angeles County Lesbian and Bisexual Women's Health CollaborativeDepartment of Internal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAIris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Education and Research CenterIris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Education and Research CenterIris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Education and Research CenterIris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Education and Research CenterDepartment of Health Sciences, California State UniversityDepartment of Internal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLAIris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health CenterPurpose: To understand the complex healthcare experiences of women identifying as lesbian or bisexual. who are also women of color, veterans, and/or 65 years of age and older. Methods: Inclusion criteria were age 25 or older, Los Angeles County resident, self-identification as a lesbian or bisexual woman, and as an African American, Latina, Asian-Pacific Islander, and/or a veteran. For the age 65 years and older group, participants were eligible regardless of their veteran status or race/ethnicity. Five focus groups were conducted (n=35) and the same questions were asked addressing their comfort interacting with healthcare providers, the provider knowing their sexual orientation, characteristics of a perfect provider, and barriers to care. Structured qualitative analyses were performed. Results: Participants identified concerns that providers often hold to heterosexual cultural norms. Participants varied on preferences for providers of the same race/ethnicity as themselves. Lesbians who are 65 years and older identified legal barriers as major concerns. All groups identified incorrect provider assumptions about sexual orientation and sexual practices as frequently compromising their care. Participants supported the idea of certification for providers skilled in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) health, but expressed skepticism that such programs would necessarily result in better care. Conclusion: Healthcare provider trainings need to address the specific concerns and experiences of underrepresented lesbian and bisexual women. Healthcare environments must be transformed to effectively address their needs. More research is needed on the separate healthcare experiences of specific marginalized populations related to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/HEQ.2017.0041sexual orientationhealthcare environmentdisclosure |
| spellingShingle | Sue LaVaccare Allison L. Diamant Julie Friedman Karen T. Singh Jessica A. Baker Tayler A. Rodriguez Susan R. Cohen Farina Y. Dary Janet Pregler Janet Pregler Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study Health Equity sexual orientation healthcare environment disclosure |
| title | Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Healthcare Experiences of Underrepresented Lesbian and Bisexual Women: A Focus Group Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | healthcare experiences of underrepresented lesbian and bisexual women a focus group qualitative study |
| topic | sexual orientation healthcare environment disclosure |
| url | https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/HEQ.2017.0041 |
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