Podcast 685: Cultural Sensitivity with LGBTIQ+ Patients

Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Dr. Nick Gorton, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Use transgender people’s correct names and pronouns, the Russell study found a 56% reduction in suicide behavior with chosen name usage
• ⅕ to ½ of transgender people report they avoided seeking care in the ED because of fear of transphobic treatment
• Understanding the definitions of gender identity, gender expression, assigned sex at birth, physical attraction, and emotional attraction are necessary for improving treatment of the LGBTIQ+ community
• Explain reasons for asking questions that address physical characteristics and/or sexual attraction
• Lastly, if you make a mistake simply correct the mistake, apologize, and immediately move on

References

Transgender Unicorn

TransLine

Treatment Guideline

Silicone pumping handout for patients and providers

https://www.ustranssurvey.org/reports

Pollitt, A. M., Ioverno, S., Russell, S. T., Li, G., & Grossman, A. H. (2019). Predictors and mental health benefits of chosen name use among transgender youth. Youth & society, 0044118X19855898.

Russell, S. T., Pollitt, A. M., Li, G., & Grossman, A. H. (2018). Chosen name use is linked to reduced depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and suicidal behavior among transgender youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 63(4), 503-505.

Samuels, E. A., Tape, C., Garber, N., Bowman, S., & Choo, E. K. (2018). “Sometimes you feel like the freak show”: a qualitative assessment of emergency care experiences among transgender and gender-nonconforming patients. Annals of emergency medicine, 71(2), 170-182.

Thompson-Blum, D. N., Coleman, T. A., Phillips, N. E., Richardson, S., Travers, R., Coulombe, S., ... & Davis, C. (2021). Experiences of Transgender Participants in Emergency Departments: Findings from the OutLook Study. Transgender Health.

Bauer, G. R., Scheim, A. I., Deutsch, M. B., & Massarella, C. (2014). Reported emergency department avoidance, use, and experiences of transgender persons in Ontario, Canada: results from a respondent-driven sampling survey. Annals of emergency medicine, 63(6), 713-720.

*Ongoing LGBTQIA+ topics are identified through collaborations with local Denver organization the Queer Umbrella as part of a new longitudinal effort to raise awareness of health disparities affecting the LGBTQIA+ community.

Stay tuned as we continue to provide educational content to support this community and uplift LGBTQIA+ health providers and their practices all year long.