Care of Sexual and Gender Minority Patients

LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning) individuals face disparities within society as well as within the healthcare system. Historically, LGBTQ+ individuals faced extreme hostility and discrimination within the medical system, whether it was from physicians, nurses, support staff, or inability to access insurance or care. While younger people are becoming more open about gender identity and expression as well as sexual minority status, disparities still exist in regard to mental health, substance use, health outcomes, and preventative care. Data on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) show that people adapt to stressors in both healthy and unhealthy ways. It is important to approach the care of LGBTQ+ youth from a trauma-informed care perspective and conceptualize patient’s presenting symptoms and behaviors as their responses to survival. This chapter explores disparities in LGBTQ+ youth and why they exist. The impact of coming out, minority stress theory, and resilience factors continue to play a role in adulthood and affect well-being. LGBTQ+ is used interchangeably with sexual and gender minority individuals in this publication.