Health Disparities In The LGBT Community

A health disparity is defined as how frequently a disease affects a group, how many people get sick or how often the disease causes death. Human Immunodeficiency Virus or most commonly known as HIV, most prevalently affects people in the LGBT community. HIV is a virus that is most commonly spread through sexual contact. HIV is a chronic disease, so it can last for years or be lifelong. For individuals who have lived with HIV there whole life, there have been, “tremendous medical advances [that] have helped HIV positive individuals live longer, healthier lives, there remains no cure”(Human Rights Campaign, 2016). HIV affects the LGBT community most frequently, LGBT, stands for “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, and it refers to a broad …show more content…
March 31,2011). According to the Human Rights Campaign (2016), HIV affects Americans from all walks of life but the epidemic continues to disproportionately impact gay and bisexual men, transgender women, youth ages 13-24, and communities of color, specifically in the Southern United States. Healthcare providers need to improve the healthcare system for the LGBT community in order to eliminate health disparities. In order to eliminate and understand Health Disparities, clinicians must be informed about specific LGBT health concerns. There are many social barriers for the LGBT community and one being receiving proper healthcare without judgment, or biased opinions, “there is a long history of anti-LGBT bias in healthcare which continues to shape health seeking behavior and access to care for LGBT individuals, despite increasing social acceptance”(Ard, Kevin, 2012). Since some people in the LGBT community have experienced poor treatment from physicians, many do not tell their sexual preference or orientation, which can lead to improper treatment. Members …show more content…
Through the readings it seemed to be a common pattern for people not coming out with their sexuality at doctors appointments on the account of being judged or discriminated. If healthcare providers can treat all patients without discrimination and educate them on safe sex, they will be increasingly informed that gay men and transgender men are most likely to have develop HIV if they do not take precautionary measures. This epidemic may come to a halt, and those living with HIV can come forward and receive the treatment they need. Society is starting to have more acceptances towards the LGBT community, but still has a long way to