​​LGBTQ CARE AND SAFETY

March 2016
Experiencing the world as a different gender than the one assigned to you at birth can take a toll. Nearly all research into transgender individuals' mental health shows poorer outcomes. A study looking specifically at transgender women, predominantly women of color, only further confirms that reality.

August 2016

Stigma and discrimination experienced during adolescence can have lifelong health consequences.1 In addition, risky health behaviors are often established during adolescence and can be particularly prevalent among those aged 13 to 18 years experiencing stigma.

With almost 28,000 respondents, the U.S. Transgender Survey (USTS) is the largest survey ever devoted to the lives and experiences of trans people.

Every day, transgender and gender non-conforming people bear the brunt of social and economic marginalization due to discrimination based on their gender identity or expression.

  • More than half (55%) of transgender people who sought coverage for transition-related surgery in the past year were denied
  • 25% of those who sought coverage for hormones in one year were denied
  • One-third (33%) of those who saw a health care provider in the past year reported having at least one negative experience related to being transgender including refused treatment and harassed
  • 23% of respondents did not see a doctor when they needed to because of fear of being mistreated as a transgender person, December 2016 https://transequality.org/sites/default/files/docs/usts/USTS-Executive-Summary-Dec17.pdf  
  • If a patient doesn’t share their transgender status, the provider may not be able to order a specific test (i.e.a PSA for a transgender female patient or a gynecological exam for a transgender male patient)  http://bok.ahima.org/doc?oid=301414#.XHLExOhKiUk 
  • Men who have sex with men are at an increased risk of HIV infection 
  • Lesbians have the richest concentration of risk factors for breast cancer than any subset of women in the world.  https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/aids/consumers/lgbt/ 

 

Pulse Center for Patient Safety Education and Advocacy (CPSEA) is dedicated to raising awareness about patient safety through education, advocacy, and support.

We envision a world in which the patient's voice is heard and no one is harmed by healthcare.