LGBTQ+ Health: Nutritional Considerations and Providing Inclusive Patient Care

Despite rising social acceptance in pop culture of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus (LGBTQ+) individuals, health practitioners continue to have a lack of knowledge and comfortability with the community. The Institute of Medicine reports that the LGBTQ+ community faces significant health disparities because of social stigma and practitioners' lack of education, not because of their identity. Additionally, the Minority Stress Theory describes how remaining social persecution such as homophobia and transphobia, and the coping mechanisms developed in response, leads to health access disparities and consequential health risks.

This session will be a crash course of the identities within the acronym, etiology of health risks, health disparities faced, and how to provide inclusive and affirming patient care. Participants will leave feeling more confident and equipped to participate in nutrition counseling and/ program development for gender and sexuality minority individuals.

CPE Level: Level 1
CPEU: 1.0

Performance Indicators

• 12.1.1 Promotes nutrition programs and resources to address issues of food security, nutritional health and overall health and wellness.
• 9.6.3 Determines the customer's expectations and aspirations and manages situations wherein these expectations cannot be met.
• 8.2.3 Implements individualized services to reflect customer-centered approach as it pertains to the customer's physical, social, cultural, institutional and economic environment.

Learning Objectives

• Verbalize the specific identities included within the LBGTQ+ acronym.
• Identify 3 possible health-related disparities that an LGBTQ+ patient may face
• List 3 things that they can do to provide the most inclusive and affirming patient care for the LGBTQ+ community.

Speakers

• Heidi Lochen
• Jay Patruno