Date of Graduation

5-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Nursing

Advisor/Mentor

Franks, Lisa

Committee Member/Reader

Ballentine, Hope

Abstract

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) community has carried the burden of countless health disparities throughout its history tied to discrimination, bias, prejudice, and stigma. LGBTQ+ individuals are disproportionately at higher risk for substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, cardiovascular disease, mental illness, suicide, and unequal access to healthcare, related to social stigma and bias that exists in healthcare itself. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to analyze existing health disparities among the LGBTQ+ population in the United States and the efficacy of various interventions of health care professionals to reduce them. Twenty-one articles from multiple online databases investigating existing LGBTQ+ health inequities and healthcare professional interventions were chosen according to keywords and inclusion criteria specific to the research question presented. Each of the selected articles were separated into two major themes: existing health care disparities of LGBTQ+ individuals and interventions taken by healthcare professionals. The second theme of healthcare intervention can be divided into three subcategories: addition of cultural competence education to training of healthcare staff, implementation of sexual orientation and gender identity data into electronic health records, and initiation of LGBTQ+-specific therapies. The prevalence and root of health inequalities impacting the LGBTQ+ community has proved to be multifaceted indicating the need for several approaches to intervention for reducing the incidence of these disparities and improving patient outcomes of the LGBTQ+ community.

Keywords

LGBTQ+; health disparities; healthcare; intervention; minority stress; cultural competency; education

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