Duke Health is a nationally recognized provider of health care services and resources, dedicated to eliminating discrimination and promoting equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and inquisitive (LGBTQ+) community. A survey of health care providers in community outpatient clinics revealed the need for additional education and training to increase their cultural competencies. To assess the differences in the average scores between male and female primary care providers (PCPs) on the four subscales of attitudes towards the LGBT community and the provider subscale, a statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed.The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Health Equity has a mission of providing patient-centered care to all veterans, with a specific objective of addressing health disparities for LGBT people. To this end, they offer a one-hour training module (TMS) course focused on empowering healthcare providers (HCPs) to develop as researchers, teachers, and leaders to improve the experience of LGBT veterans by providing competent care.
Table 1 provides definitions of the five constructs and highlights the role of education and training in influencing competition in the provision of health services for LGBT people.Continuing education credits aimed at HCPs and focusing on LGBT health could be included in the TMS learning portfolio for each HCP as annual refresher learning courses. Attitudes towards the appropriateness of their medical training to address the health needs of the LGBT population were answered in question 26 of the PKSGMH survey. The Attitudes Towards LGBT People Scale evaluated physicians' feelings towards caring for LGBT patients. By gender, 50% (n=3) of men said they were competent to provide care to LGBT people, compared to 51.8% (n=3) of women.Training and skill development in sexual history development by doctors are vital to reducing health disparities, such as STDs, and to helping LGBT patients feel more comfortable accessing health care.
The findings of this survey suggest that general practitioners of the VHA perceive that they have deficits in skills and levels of knowledge about caring for LGBT people and that education influences attitudes towards care for LGBT people.In order to create a more welcoming, inclusive and empowering environment for veterans and their LGBT families, the VHA launched several initiatives. Additionally, a literature review found no guidelines on how to specifically address gender differences of providers in the education and training of LGBT people or strategies for education and training interventions to address these differences.
Are There Any Health Services Specifically Tailored To The Needs Of The LGBT Community In Indianapolis?
The answer is yes! Indianapolis is home to many organizations that provide specialized health services tailored to meet the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. These organizations offer a variety of services including mental health counseling, HIV/AIDS testing and treatment, hormone therapy, gender-affirming surgery referrals, support groups, and more.One such organization is Indiana Transgender Network, which provides resources and support for transgender individuals in Indiana. They offer a variety of services including mental health counseling, hormone therapy referrals, legal assistance with name changes and gender marker changes on documents, support groups, educational workshops, advocacy initiatives, and more.They also provide referrals to other organizations that offer specialized services such as HIV/AIDS testing and treatment.
Eskenazi Health
, located in downtown Indianapolis, is another organization that provides specialized health services tailored to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. They offer comprehensive primary care services including HIV/AIDS testing and treatment, hormone therapy referrals, mental health counseling, gender-affirming surgery referrals, support groups, educational workshops, advocacy initiatives, legal assistance with name changes and gender marker changes on documents.Indiana Youth Group
, located in Indianapolis’s Fountain Square neighborhood, is an organization dedicated to providing support services for LGBTQ+ youth ages 13-23. They offer a variety of services including mental health counseling, HIV/AIDS testing and treatment referrals, hormone therapy referrals, support groups, educational workshops on topics such as coming out and safe sex practices.Conclusion
Indianapolis is home to many organizations that provide specialized health services tailored to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ individuals. These organizations offer a variety of services including mental health counseling, HIV/AIDS testing and treatment referrals, hormone therapy referrals, gender-affirming surgery referrals, support groups, educational workshops on topics such as coming out and safe sex practices. It is important for LGBTQ+ individuals to have access to quality healthcare services that are tailored specifically to their needs.By utilizing these specialized services offered by organizations such as Indiana Transgender Network, Eskenazi Health, and Indiana Youth Group in Indianapolis they can receive quality healthcare that meets their unique needs.
