LGBTQ+ Barriers to Care
Cancer diagnoses are always frightening, but the fears that can stem as a member of an underrepresented or marginalized group, such as that which can be seen in the LGBTQ+ community can heighten your anxiety exponentially. Members of the LGBTQ+ community face distinct barriers to preventative care, diagnoses, and treatment that has resulted in terrible disparities between survival rates. Research has shown that the LGBTQ+ community is prone to seven kinds of cancer to a higher degree, are there are numerous reasons for this.
These barriers place members of the LGBTQ+ community - especially those that may one day be diagnosed with breast cancer - at a higher risk for lessened access to cancer prevention, screenings, and high-quality cancer care. The LGBTQ+ community is more prone to breast cancer, anal cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, prostate and uterine cancer as a result as a result of these barriers to care.
What are these barriers?
Lack of comfort
LGBTQ+ community members can often experience a number of barriers to receiving care, and one of these is a general discomfort around disclosing important details or their sexuality for fear of discrimination or from lack of trust. Without healthcare providers that feel trustworthy and accepting, LGBTQ+ people are left feeling uncertain about the quality of care they may receive and are less apt to attend early screening exams and routine check-ups, or practice preventative care with a doctor. Without this testing one is more likely to fail to diagnose breast cancer until later stages, when risks are much higher and treatment is more difficult.
Concerns about inducing dysphoria, while extremely valid, also place more obstacles in the path of those in the LGBTQ+ community who may seek care. Education and experience in these matters can help alleviate these concerns, as there are things doctors need to know when caring for those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Furthermore, discomfort in sharing these personal details can lead to hiding partners and relationships from an individuals breast cancer care team. This discomfort puts LGBTQ+ members at risk of lower survival rates, as the integration of support into cancer treatment and surgery is vital and has been statistically shown to increase survival rates in cisgender and heterosexual cancer patients. In some cases, individuals are no longer in contact with their family. This makes it more difficult to get this needed support, and requires more sourcing of support from the community and from those in ones ‘chosen’ family.
For guidance on coming out to your care providers, CancerCare offers great resources.
Discriminatory experiences
Previous negative experiences with healthcare providers as well as a fear of being received poorly in the future can also cause members of the LGBTQ+ community to be hesitant when pursuing breast cancer screenings, breast cancer treatment, or general care from a doctor. Some patients may have traumatic history with doctors that may make reaching out to a doctor especially difficult. Fear that the disclosure of sexual orientation or gender identity affecting the quality of care received can often prevent that same care being sought out in the first place.
It is important that one feel comfortable sharing their appropriate pronouns with providers, as well as appropriate names and the support system that will help them get through this tough time. Support is vital in survivor, and acknowledgment of your needs and identity at a time that can make your identity a bit harder to nail down is imperative.
Some doctors still hold implicit biases that are reflected in the mannerisms of their care. Relying on male-female binaries is exclusionary and contributes to these statistics of concern.
Whether they are not aware of differences in health care needs or not interested in implementing them, this is a contributing factor to the boundaries that prevent members of the LGBTQ+ community from achieving the same levels of care. There is vital information that must be known to appropriately treat members of this community. For example, the knowledge that the human papilloma virus (HPV) is equally transmittable from anal intercourse as it is vaginal increases the need for anal screenings for cancer for gay men. Lesbians are often screened for ovarian and cervical cancer at a lower rate than their heterosexual counterparts.
Did Y
ou Know?
Research of lesbian cancer screenings show that lesbian report lower rates of mammography, colonoscopy, and pap smears than their heterosexual counterparts as a result of both inadequate healthcare coverage as well as perceived unwelcome. Cancer-Network
Historical denial of care
Though we see the LGBTQ+ community becoming more and more widely accepted and respected each day, sentiments of homophobia and transphobia are nevertheless present in our society still today. These hateful sentiments can be expressed in peoples’ most needful moments, and fear of this can prevent those who are in need from pursuing the care and receiving the concern that they deserve. One in five transgender patients have been turned away by a health care provider.
Lessened rates of health insurance
As a number of insurance companies do not offer policies to unmarried couples, LGBTQ+ couples that are not wed may have trouble accessing health insurance. There are many inconsistencies to be seen between legal protections at both the state and federal level.
What resources are available to help the LGBTQ+ community?
More and more institutions that offer cancer care have begun to provide resources specific to the LGBTQ+ community. If you or a loved one identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and have been diagnosed with cancer or are a cancer survivor, it is important to remember that you are not alone and there are resources to assist you in your success. These organizations are readily able to assist in providing support resources to help members of the community.
There are a number of online resources, including:
Written By: Alexandra Qualls