White Paper
Key Findings from Healthgrades LGBTQ+ Study: Why LGBTQ+ Patients Need Affirming Care
Healthcare is meant to be inclusive. But as many LGBTQ+ patients know, that’s not always the case. Healthgrades and OutCare Health recently conducted a comparative study among 952 LGBTQ+ identifying US adults and 1,049 cisgender, heterosexual identifying US adults weighted to be nationally representative of the US population based on age, gender, ethnicity, and region.1 We found that:
- Medical gaslighting disproportionately impacts more LGBTQ+ people, with 47% of LGBTQ+ people experiencing medical gaslighting in the last two years compared to 26% of cisgender, heterosexual people.
- Medical-related trauma is significantly more common among LGBTQ+ patients, with 18% of LGBTQ+ people experiencing medical-related trauma in the last two years, compared to 8% of cisgender, heterosexual people.
- Identity-based discrimination affects significantly more LGBTQ+ people, with 10% of LGBTQ+ people experiencing discrimination because of their identities in the last two years, compared to 4% of cisgender, heterosexual people.
- Trust in doctors, specialists, pharma companies, insurance companies, and the US healthcare system as a whole is far lower among LGBTQ+ communities than in cisgender, heterosexual communities. For example, 54% of LGBTQ+ people trust primary care physicians compared to 70% of cisgender, heterosexual people. Likewise, the US healthcare system is trusted by 17% of LGBTQ+ people compared to 33% of cisgender, heterosexual people.
Having a doctor who doesn’t support you in your healthcare journey can be emotionally devastating and frustrating—but it can also be life-threatening. When patients don’t receive the treatment they need or avoid care for fear of being stigmatized, ridiculed, or violated, they’re left to fend for themselves on an isolated healthcare journey.
There is a strong need for thoughtful and effective care, yet several obstacles are preventing many LGBTQ+ patients from seeing a doctor:
- Inaccessible or Limited Healthcare: People from LGBTQ+ communities are less likely to have health insurance because of societal rejection, according to the National LGBT Health Education Center.
- Lack of Affirming Care: LGBTQ+ patients often do not receive comprehensive sexual health counseling, screenings, or care because some doctors and specialists assume such services aren’t needed. For instance, a healthcare professional may believe that a queer woman may not need birth control.
- Negative Medical Experiences: Several studies conducted by OutCare Health show that healthcare professional populations, including primary care doctors, dementia care specialists, residents, and students across various fields, lack proper LGBTQ+ patient education, training, exposure, and preparedness.
- Anti-LGBTQ+ Legislation: Under the Affordable Care Act, patients are federally protected from healthcare-related discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation—yet 1 in 8 LGBTQ+ Americans live in states where doctors can refuse service.
Moreover, traditional medical training is largely based on studies conducted on cisgender, heterosexual white men, meaning that diagnostic guidelines and treatment advice do not always apply to patients with diverse backgrounds and health histories. While some doctors and specialists are doing their part in expanding their knowledge of proper LGBTQ+ care, they may not always be as prepared as they think.
Establishing more meaningful and compatible doctor-patient relationships and staying sensitive to medical concerns specific to LGBTQ+ communities can make a significant difference. So, how do hospital and pharma marketers fit into the equation? Look out for our full analysis later this month where we’ll dive deeper into the roadblocks and experiences LGBTQ+ patients continue to face in healthcare and how hospital and pharma marketers can support LGBTQ+ members in their journey to find affirming care.
1 Healthgrades LGBTQIA+ Study, May 2023 N= 952 LGBTQ+ identifying US adults; N= 1049 cisgender and heterosexual identifying US adults