Question

Describe how identity, gender and sexual orientation affect the health of populations (in terms of risk for illness, responses from health care personnel, social worth of the patient) and list ways providers and organizations can be more responsive to the needs of sexual minority patients.

Answer 1

Identity, gender and sexual orientation significantly affect the health of populations in terms of risk for illness, responses from health care personnel and social worth of the patients. It should be noted that gender identity refers to an individual’s basic sense or perception of being a man (or a boy) or a woman (or a girl) or being of another gender (i.e. transgender or bi-gender). Historically the first cases of AIDS were detected in transgender men in the year 1981. This created a bias for patients with unconventional sexual identity and orientation and hence reduced the social worth of all patients that had a different sexual orientation. Providers of health care services, on the basis of the historical evidence, cases and data, started believing and developing a prejudice, that people who are bisexuals are more prone to illness. This perception became tangible and developed a prejudice and negative notion towards transgender people and individuals. Even bisexual individuals started believing that they were susceptible to poor health and prone to illness and sexual diseases. Thus identity, gender and sexual orientation affect the health of populations both in mental as well as physical terms. People belonging to sexual minority are prone to sexual violence, harassment and discrimination and all these have a negative impact on their health and towards their health orientation as well.

There are several ways in which providers and organizations can be more responsive to the needs of sexual minority patients. First of all providers and organizations should try to address the health care risks of sexual minorities by developing a comprehensive knowledge of the patient's sexual orientation. This will enable the health care service providers to remove and eliminate their ignorance of specific health care issues. Secondly health care practitioners need to improve awareness and take steps to create an open, non-hostile environment with regards to individuals belonging to the sexual minority community. Thirdly providers and organizations should improve patient engagement for individuals belonging to sexual minority. This will help, in the long run, to remove all forms of health disparities and barriers to healthcare and other issues like discrimination, social stigma and violation of their rights.