Understanding the Needs of LGBTQ Patients and Clients
Presented by Liz Margolies
Nonfinancial: Liz Margolies is the founder and former executive director of the National LGBT Cancer Network. She has no other competing nonfinancial interests or relationships with regard to the content presented in this course.
Across disciplines, health and human service providers have reported a lack of knowledge about LGBTQ language, culture, and health disparities. This contributes to a distrust of the healthcare system, resulting in delayed care with worse health outcomes. When patients and clients feel safe bringing their authentic selves into the treatment room, it leads to better patient-provider communication, greater adherence to recommended follow-up and, ultimately, improved health. This is the first of a two-part series addressing this gap in knowledge. This course covers the components of gender and sexual identities, current terminology, the importance of collecting sexual orientation and gender identity data in the clinical setting, LGBTQ health disparities across the lifespan, and the skills for creating a more welcoming environment. The information in this course will be useful for physical therapists, social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, and others. This is the first of a two-part series addressing this gap in knowledge.
Meet your instructor
Liz Margolies
Liz Margolies, LCSW, founder of the National LGBT Cancer Network, has served the LGBTQ community for more than 40 years as a psychotherapist, political activist, and volunteer. Until July 2020, she was also the executive director of the Network, the first and only national program exclusively addressing the needs of LGBT…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Identifying LGBTQ Patients and Clients
This chapter addresses the importance of identifying LGBTQ patients and clients for all healthcare providers as a factor in providing targeted care and improving the provider-patient relationship. LGBTQ people live in 99% of the counties in this country, so it is fair to assume that all providers work with this population, whether they know it or not.
2. Proper Terminology and Distinctions Between Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
This chapter defines gender identity and sexual orientation and clarifies the difference between them. Current terminology is described, as well as differences within this population based on other identities, such as race, class, and ability. Tips will be offered for respectfully collecting LGBTQ data.
3. Health Disparities in the LGBTQ Population
LGBTQ people carry a disproportionate burden of disease, most of which can be traced back to the stress and stigma of living as sexual and gender minorities. Specifically, this chapter will address how parental rejection and discrimination beginning in early school years cause later health problems. Finally, this chapter covers how these greater health risks are confounded by barriers to quality healthcare.
4. Supportive Factors for LGBTQ Health
While LGBTQ people are vulnerable to greater health disparities, there are some factors that simultaneously contribute to resilience in this population. This chapter highlights the health benefits of family support, connection with the LGBTQ community, and religious communities that are accepting.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Medbridge courses.
Who creates Medbridge courses?
We work with industry-leaders, top researchers, and consultants to build content roadmaps that are then structured into courses, filmed, and edited by our production team before being launched to our site.
How often does Medbridge release new courses?
New courses are added monthly and are automatically included in your subscription as they launch.
How often does Medbridge update courses?
Medbridge reviews its courses annually for relevance and to assess if content is up to date. Based on these reviews it may be determined that a course is out of date resulting in the course being re-filmed or retired, if the content is no longer needed (e.g. a replacement course already exists, the concepts are no longer best practice, etc.).
How many courses does Medbridge offer?
We have over 3,000 accredited courses and we are continually updating our library with new courses. Check our course library for the most up-to-date count for your discipline.
Are there any additional fees for taking a Medbridge course?
There are no additional fees for taking a Medbridge course, obtaining a course certificate of completion, earning CEUs as a subscriber, or accessing any of the additional tools your subscription may include.
Is there a limit to the number of courses I can take?
There is no limit to the number of courses you can take as a subscriber! As a subscriber to Medbridge, you have unlimited access to over 3,000+ accredited CE courses.
If you are a Premium subscriber, you also have unlimited access to our Patient Engagement Tools such as the Home Exercise Program, Patient Education Library, Orthopedic Exam Tests, and Manual Therapy Techniques. We have over 7,000 exercises and over 650+ videos and handouts of patient education resources with more exercises and patient education added to the library based on subscriber feedback, volume of request and specialities.
What is your refund policy?
You are eligible for a refund provided your request is received within 30 days of your subscription purchase and your account has no activity.