AJMC: Center on Health Equity & Access’ Post

Symposium speaker highlight! Mrigank Shail, MD will speak about learning from approaches to community engagement and equity initiatives to foster trust in health systems. "Community engagement and equity initiatives are integral to public health efforts, particularly during infectious disease outbreaks. Dr. Shail’s talk will showcase the collaborative efforts between the World Health Organization and #LGBTQ+ communities and leaders during the MPOX and COVID-19 outbreaks, highlighting strategies to foster trust in health systems and the importance of tailored approaches to engagement and equity. During the MPOX outbreak, WHO actively collaborated with LGBTQ+ community leaders and organizations to develop culturally sensitive messaging, inclusive healthcare services, and targeted outreach initiatives. By involving LGBTQ+ leaders in decision-making processes, WHO promoted community ownership and trust, enhancing the effectiveness of outbreak response efforts. Similarly, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO prioritized engagement with post-COVID [Long-COVID] condition communities to address intersecting health disparities and systemic inequities. Leveraging digital platforms, social media and virtual forums, WHO facilitated dialogue and exchange between health authorities and advocates, ensuring #CommunityEngagement and #equity endeavours to promote trust in health systems." Plenty of virtual tickets remain. Register now! https://lnkd.in/gTiqFeWD

Last week I spoke alongside Sara-Louise Ackrill FRSA and Jake Morrison on a panel discussion around the Health Trust Gap, with a focus on neurodiversity for Sanofi UK. Too many people from marginalized groups distrust healthcare, whether they are women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities or those within the LGBTQ+ community. For some, this lack of trust may be related to feeling judged or not listened to. For others, it may be about ongoing discrimination or a lack of representation. Sanofi will lead the global effort to build a bridge of trust between healthcare and marginalized communities, improving engagement and health outcomes. Through their initiative: A Million Conversations. For our panel conversation, we focused on neurodiversity. We shared lots of ideas and thoughts, from both personal and professional stories. What did we shine a light on the Healthcare Gap? 🔦 📚 Storytelling – How can we all use effective communication to bridge this gap? It starts with building trust, which starts with building relationships and finding common ground… That was proved with my 100 Stories Book (which I will be talking more about soon). 🧠 Neurodiversity – ND people often struggle with doctor's surgeries (due to adhoc phone calls and in person appointments). 🏥 Understanding of the Healthcare System – I grew up surrounded by illness, my father has had brain tumours for 24 years. Depending on your understanding of the system, can depend on your access and trust. Thank you Richard Harmer (he/him/his) for having us, to Nick B. for hosting the panel and Lucy Turner for coming to cheer us along! Ps. I think we look like a pretty cool band 🎸 #SanofiUK #AMillionConversations #Talk #Speaker #PanelConversation #TrustHealthGap

Many LGBTQ+ patients report receiving worse health care in America. Our webinar tomorrow will provide an overview of the landscape, discuss approaches to combat discrimination, and hear suggestions on how journalists can tell stories on these issues. https://ow.ly/SlMU50RNKm5

Industries like housing, transportation, and medical services don’t have the luxury of being able to be satisfied with only serving a small section of the market. A coffee shop or grocery store may be satisfied just getting 5% of the surrounding local population to purchase something once per month. This is not the case for the healthcare industry as it’s meant to serve the needs of a nation. This may explain why healthcare accounts for 20% of the entire U.S. economy. Healthcare aims to serve the needs of every patient, every time. Yet, why do more than 28% of LGBTQ+ individuals choose not to seek medical care? If you know me, you know I like numbers. So here’s a few more for you: Over 23% of LGBTQ+ individuals report receiving below average care from their medical providers. Over 33% of LGBTQ+ individuals have experienced clinical or cultural discrimination in a healthcare setting. And over 24% of LGBTQ+ individuals have been personally blamed by their medical provider for being the cause of their health-related issues due to “poor lifestyle choices.” Taken together, these stats help explain why more than 1 in 4 LGBTQ+ patients refuse to seek medical care, even in dire circumstances. Would you be open to receiving medical assistance if you were treated poorly by your doctor, discriminated against, and blamed (or even shamed) for having certain health issues? We need to do better. We need to do more. And we will.

Reflecting on Two Decades of Public Health Research: Intersection of LGBTQ Health and Obesity Over the last 20 years, the focus on measuring body mass index (BMI) has become a staple in public health research, reflecting growing concern over the obesity epidemic in the U.S. This period has also seen a surge in research into LGBTQ health, recognized by the NIH in 2016 as a health disparity population, thus opening new avenues for funded research. This intersection of research areas is particularly evident in studies examining the health of LGBTQ individuals, noting higher BMIs among lesbian and bisexual women compared to their heterosexual counterparts. This points to broader implications for healthcare policy and delivery, especially following the transformative impacts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010. The ACA not only extended health coverage but also emphasized the efficiency and quality of care over the quantity, sparking significant changes in healthcare delivery aimed at improving population health and reducing costs. These shifts underline the necessity of refining healthcare delivery to include precise health measurements and innovations in health information technology. However, the path is fraught with challenges, such as reconciling medical directives with the need for sensitive, patient-centered care, especially within the LGBTQ community facing weight stigma. This stigma often intersects with issues of gender and sexual identity, complicating patient-provider interactions and potentially leading to poorer health outcomes due to biases in care provision. The narrative around obesity and health continues to evolve, underscored by a need for healthcare models that embrace inclusivity and understanding, addressing not just the physical but also the socio-cultural dimensions of patient health. DOI: https://lnkd.in/gKrwufrh #PublicHealth #LGBTQHealth #ObesityResearch #HealthcarePolicy #AffordableCareAct #PatientCenteredCare #HealthDisparities #NIH #BMIResearch #HealthcareInnovation #Pride2024 #LGBTQHealth #HealthEquity #CelebrateDiversity #PrideMonth #LoveIsLove #UnityInDiversity #InclusiveHealthcare #LGBTQSupport #PrideEveryday #thisnurseisanally

🌟 Excited to share insights from today's NHS Lothian conference on diversity and inclusion! 🌈 At the 2024 conference, NHS Lothian took a courageous step by addressing the historical involvement of one of its hospitals in the slave trade. It was a powerful moment of acknowledgment and apology, marking a commitment to learning from the past and building a more inclusive future. The event featured dynamic workshops on crucial topics like addressing sexual misconduct in healthcare, promoting LGBT+ allyship, supporting autistic wellbeing at work, and more. Speakers such as Rakiya Suleiman and Laic Khalique underscored the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion in healthcare, highlighting ongoing efforts to create a more welcoming environment for all. Professor Mukami McCrum MBE shared her inspiring journey as a human rights activist, emphasizing the importance of relentless advocacy for justice and equality. Prof. Geoffrey Palmer's challenged the concept of race as a social construct, prompting critical reflection on the interconnectedness of identity and healthcare disparities. Key figures like Calum Campbell and John Connaghan outlined NHS Lothian's dedication to addressing past injustices and promoting a culture of respect and inclusivity within the organization. Let's continue the dialogue and action toward creating a healthcare system that values and uplifts everyone regardless of background or identity. Together, we can make a difference! #DiversityandInclusion #HealthcareEquality #NHSLothian #InclusiveHealthcare 🏥✨

Urgent Healthcare Crisis: 1 in 3 LGBTQ Adults Face Discrimination The healthcare system should be a place of healing, not discrimination. Yet, shocking data reveals that 1 in 3 LGBTQ adults report being treated unfairly by healthcare providers. This discrimination has severe consequences, leading to delays in care, worsened health outcomes, and a lack of trust in medical professionals. Read our latest article on Divine Health to understand the depth of this issue and discover steps we can all take to ensure equitable healthcare for the LGBTQ community. https://lnkd.in/eEDSvVbq #DivineHealth #HealthcareEquality #LGBTQHealth #EndDiscrimination

Kinsey Institute researchers and students from the Indiana University School of Medicine conducted an online survey examining the healthcare experiences of #transgender and #nonbinary (#TGNB) individuals living in Southern Indiana. Respondents answered about their health status, quality of health care they received, whether they have a provider with whom they feel comfortable sharing their gender identity, and if they have to commute to see their provider. 44% had an LGBTQ+ welcoming provider 36% had positive health care experiences while living in Southern Indiana 36% experienced logistical concerns 34% experienced discrimination 33% were invalidated 28% distrusted their healthcare provider Respondents were also asked to give an open-ended response about their healthcare experiences while living in Southern Indiana. Participants with LGBTQ+ welcoming providers were more likely to report their health as excellent/good, and the quality of health care received as excellent/good. While TGNB patients face common logistical concerns related to health care (cost, insurance, wait times), they also face unique challenges concerning their gender identity and provider discrimination. These challenging experiences can lead to distrust of healthcare providers and general medical systems. There is a greater need for LGBTQ+ competent care, particularly gender competency, to better provide care and improve health outcomes for transgender and nonbinary individuals. Additional training is needed to address the biases different providers hold. Study: They “Don't Know How to Deal with People Like Me”: Assessing Health Care Experiences of Gender Minorities in Indiana. Keeley D. Newsom, Michael J. Riddle, Gregory A. Carter, and Jessica J. Hille. Transgender Health 2022 7:5, 453-460. https://lnkd.in/gkKQWFyR #transawarenessweek #LGBThealth

Re: LGBTQ+ health, here are 2 timely reads, one highlighting problems resulting from discrimination & the other offering ways to combat them. 1st) the bad news: a new survey details the range of obstacles to high quality care that can lead to health problems which could have been prevented 2nd) the positive guidance: a new report from the federal government offers steps to improve care for LGBTQ+ youth (& many of the steps apply to those of all ages). https://lnkd.in/eDTNMC7Q

Picture this: you’re chatting with your doctor during a routine appointment, and you mention your weekend plans with your partner. Suddenly, your doctor freezes. He tells you he can no longer proceed with the appointment because he isn’t comfortable touching you. Your provider rushes out of the room, leaving you sitting on the exam table, alone and confused. For the founder of this week’s ✨ One to Watch Wednesday ✨ #startup, this was a real-life experience. When Justin Ayars, JD came out to his dermatologist as gay, his physician balked and refused to touch him. In that moment, this provider stopped seeing Justin as a human being in need of care. Justin founded equalityMD so that other people don’t have to go through the same #medicaltrauma he—and countless other LGBTQ+ folks—experienced. The Problem: 😤 28% of LGBTQ+ Americans have reported that at least one #healthcareprovider they have seen was biased against them or stereotyped them (Rummler and Methani, 2022 — The 19th News). 👩🏻⚕️ 24% of LGBTQ+ people feel their providers blamed them for their health problems—versus 12% of non-LGBTQ+ who feel the same (Rummler and Methani, 2022 — The 19th News). 🙅🏽 35% of LGBTQ+ people and their partners feel that their providers are insensitive towards them because of their identities (Stein, et al., 2023). Queer folks deserve better. The Solution: 🏥 equalityMD is building a portfolio of #healthcareproviders with whom LGBTQ+ patients can feel safe and respected. They require all providers on their platform to complete specialized #culturalcompetency training on health issues key to the queer community. 🖥 Their platform leverages #telehealth to improve access to care in places that lack LGBTQ-informed providers. Providers can reach more patients, and patients can get the care they deserve. 💰 Their monthly membership is built to be financially accessible: it’s $79/mo, and it provides access to 12 primary care, 12 mental health, and 12 urgent care visits per year (plus access to 1000+ prescription meds). 📊 As they grow, equalityMD plans to build an AI-powered data analytics platform that will help drive their innovation—and society’s understanding of queer health concerns—forward. The equalityMD team has surveyed over 32,000 LBGTQ+ people nationwide and interviewed over 350 individuals in person. Through these discussions, they’ve gathered unique insights into the needs of LGBTQ+ patients, positioning the company as the go-to source for data on LGBTQ+ #healthcare. I look forward to a day when it’s inconceivable that a provider would refuse care to someone based on their #genderidentity or #sexualorientation. Until that day comes, I’m grateful that innovative companies like equalityMD are stepping in to fill the gaps. The total addressable market for LGBTQ+ healthcare is valued at over $200B, and Justin Ayars, JD and his team are early players in this growing market space. 👀 equalityMD is One to Watch! 👀