LGBTQI+ persons with a serious illness: New Mayo Research Survey

I appreciate that you took the survery, @bobbie4481 and @becky1024. As you and other commenters here noted, this current survey adapted a cancer-related survey. Your points are well taken and, with your permission, I will share your feedback with the researchers as they develop an improved validated survey more appropriate for the LGBTQIA2S community.

Thanks again.

Hi, Colleen
Feel free to pass along my comments to your colleagues and thank you for the Mayo resources and research.

Is this study being produced because the first openly LGBT generation is aging? Is the data focusing more so on the fact that baby boomers are soon to form the largest population over 65 or is it focused more on matters involving specialized needs or attention in healthcare of the LGBT patients with chronic illness because of potentially different health risks than the straight population?

I'm in the wrong age bracket to participate in this study, but I read a few comments up-thread and noticed that the research team may be considering updating survey language. I just wanted to share that the PRIDE Study out of Stanford University has some really excellently-worded general health questions for LGBTQIA+ people. If the team is looking for any model language, this might be one resource to consider! You can find them at pridestudy [dot] org. 🙂

Thank you, @jameothant. I appreciate the tip and will pass this along to the research team. Allow me to post the link https://pridestudy.org/

You'll be able to post URLs in a few days. There is a brief period where new members can't post links. We do this to deter spammers and keep the community safe. 🙂

@amilam1, I'd like to say "all of the above". This is the first step in what is likely to be an ongoing study of the specialized needs and improving health and care for 2SLGBTQIA patients with chronic illness.

What would you like the researchers to consider? Or what unmet need would you underline?

in this day and time Colleen, i believe we should not just limit the age of 50 and above. the 2SLGBTQIA. did i miss anybody? i just thought the plus (➕) covered everyone else. but i digress. everyone in the community should and needs to be included for various health conditions. not just chronic. d 🏳️‍🌈

Agreed, Danny. This is but one contribution to the whole.

I think this is an important initiative given the recent increases in people who have experienced gender dysphoria and have begun the process of transitioning to their preferred sexual identities. Too often, many members of this patient population feel that they will be treated in a descriminatory manner by healthcare professionals and thus avoid the "trauma" of seeking care from judgemental HCPs.
Many members of the LGBTQ+ community have significant unaddressed and treated psychopathologies that complicate their timely diagnoses and treatments of serious life threatening disease states. What is required is that treating HCPs utilize a supportive and non- judgemental approach to the physical assessment and treatment planning in the management of LBTGQ+ patients.
Unfortunately, in my experience with LGBTQ+ patients, many allow their fear of negative judgements and shaming of their appearances or behaviours to override their need to seek health care for acute and chronic illnesses. The end result is that many LGBTQ+ patients present with advanced disease which may impact treatment efficacy and outcomes.

The various medical specialty organizations have recently taken differing positions with respect to the provision of transition care to minors which many members of the LGBTQ + community find objectionable. They should realize that these statements do not preclude the provision of appropriate medical care for other diseases they may contract of suffer from regardless of their chosen gender identity. All physicians, if able, are obligated to provide treatment to all those seeking their care regardless of their views and opinions of a patient's LGBTQ+ orientation.

As a former Pathology & Laboratory Medicine specialist, another aspect that I believe has been inadequately addressed is the correct(ed) establishment and interpretation of the normative ranges of various diagnostic biomarkers used in the clinical assessment and monitoring of LGBTQ+ patients. Many LGBTQ+ patients have been subjected to various regimens of bioidentical hormones as part of their transition therapy. As a consequence, their lab results may be inconsistent with those that would be expected with those of their sex assigned at birth. This could provide misleading or confounding results and effect treatment efficacies and outcomes.

Like it or not, it's a new world re gender identity. Health care providers must adopt a non-judgemental approach to provision of appropriate care to all patient populations.