A Qualitative Study Examining Young Adults' Experiences of Disclosure and Nondisclosure of LGBTQ Identity to Health Care Providers

• Published in: Journal of homosexuality Vol. 64; no. 10; pp. 1390 - 1410
• Main Authors: Rossman, Kinton, Salamanca, Paul, Macapagal, Kathryn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Routledge 01.01.2017; Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude; Bisexuality; Continuing education; Cultural attitudes; Delivery of health care; Disclosure; Discrimination; Female; Health behavior; Health beliefs; Health care access; Health care delivery; health care disparities; health communication; Health education; Health Personnel; Health Services Accessibility; Health services utilization; Homosexuality; Humans; Identity; Internalization; Interpersonal factors; Legislation; Lesbianism; LGBTQ; LGBTQ people; Male; Medical personnel; Medicine; Patients; Physician-Patient Relations; Professional training; Qualitative Research; Questionnaires; Self Disclosure; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sexual Behavior; Sexuality; social discrimination; Social Stigma; Stigma; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transgender Persons; Transsexualism; Transsexuality; Young Adult; Young adults; health care disparities; disclosure; Delivery of health care; LGBTQ; health communication; social discrimination
• ISSN: 0091-8369; 1540-3602
• DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2017.1321379

Shifting cultural attitudes and legislation have increased focus on the health care needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) patients. However, patient nondisclosure of LGBTQ identity creates a barrier to accessing care. This qualitative study examined a diverse sample of LGBTQ young adults and their experiences of disclosure and nondisclosure to medical providers. Participants (n = 206, age range 18-27) completed questionnaires assessing health care access and use as part of a larger study. Participants' responses to open-ended items asking about experiences of LGBTQ identity disclosure to medical providers and reasons for nondisclosure were analyzed thematically. Results revealed intra- and interpersonal factors related to patient disclosure and nondisclosure of LGBTQ identity. Reasons for participant nondisclosure included providers not asking about identity, internalized stigma, and belief that health and LGBTQ identity are not related. When participants did disclose, they experienced reactions ranging from discrimination and disbelief to affirmation and respect. Findings confirm and extend previous research on young adults' identity disclosure and provide avenues for health professionals' continuing education when working with LGBTQ patients.