LGBT Adults Report Negative Experiences in Healthcare Settings

April 16, 2024

LGBT adults are a growing population in the United States and often face discrimination, including in healthcare settings. A new analysis of the 2023 KFF’s Racism, Discrimination and Health Survey shows that LGBT adults are more likely than non-LGBT adults to report adverse consequences due to negative experiences with healthcare professionals:

• These adults are twice as likely as non-LGBT adults to report being treated unfairly or with disrespect (33% vs 15%).

• Many of the LGBT respondents to the KFF survey report that the negative experiences in healthcare settings have caused their health to decline, made them less likely to seek healthcare or caused them to switch healthcare professionals.

• Some of the LGBT adults in this survey who report fair or poor mental health are going without needed mental healthcare, citing affordability and accessibility issues of these services.

• Six in 10 LGBT adults say they take steps to mitigate or prepare for potential negative experiences when receiving care, such as insults from healthcare professionals or staff.

Respectful communication with all patients is important to providing safe medical care. Every practice should have a way to ensure that physicians and staff communicate clearly and appropriately with their entire patient population. ISMIE’s patient communication resource provides strategies for effectively communicating with all patients.
 
For more information, please contact the Risk Management Division by email.