Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Other Sexual and Gender Minority Health Disparities

Document Overview

Document Title

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Other Sexual and Gender Minority Health Disparities

Authoring Society

American College of Physicians

Document Publication Date

Jun 25, 2024

Page Last Reviewed/Updated

May 5, 2026

Document Type

Other

Country of Publication

United States

Full Text Freely Available

Yes

Full Text Guideline

www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M24-0636

Source Citation

Serchen J, Hilden DR, Beachy MW; Health and Public Policy Committee of the American College of Physicians*. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Other Sexual and Gender Minority Health Disparities: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2024 Jun 25. doi: 10.7326/M24-0636. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38914001.

Supplemental Implementation Resources

• Video

Document Scope, Criteria, and Use Cases

Document Objectives

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) populations in the United States continue to experience disparities in health and health care. Discrimination in both health care and society at large negatively affects LGBTQ+ health. Although progress has been made in addressing health disparities and reducing social inequality for these populations, new challenges have emerged. There is a pressing need for physicians and other health professionals to take a stance against discriminatory policies as renewed federal and state public policy efforts increasingly impose medically unnecessary restrictions on the provision of gender-affirming care. In this position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) reaffirms and updates much of its long-standing policy on LGBTQ+ health to strongly support access to evidence-based, clinically indicated gender-affirming care and oppose political efforts to interfere in the patient–physician relationship. Furthermore, ACP opposes institutional and legal restrictions on undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education and training on gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ health issues. This paper also offers policy recommendations to protect the right of all people to participate in public life free from discrimination on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation and encourages the deployment of inclusive, nondiscriminatory, and evidence-based blood donation policies for members of LGBTQ+ communities. Underlying these beliefs is a reaffirmed commitment to promoting equitable access to quality care for all people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Scope

Management, Prevention

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D008913 - Minority Groups

D054525 - Minority Health

D000069576 - Health Equity

D008913 - Minority Groups

D054525 - Minority Health

D000069576 - Health Equity

Keywords

LGBTQ+, health care equity, health disparities, health disparity, health equity, minority health

Inclusion Criteria

Male, Female, Adolescent, Adult, Older Adult

Health Care Settings

Ambulatory

Intended Users

Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physician, Physician Assistant

Recommendation Development Processes & Methodology

Number of Source Documents

163

Includes peer/external review process?

Yes

Includes public comment process?

No

Methodologist involvement?

Yes

Patient involvement?

No

Includes multi-disciplinary group?

Yes

Includes systematic review?

Yes

Grades quality of strength of evidence?

No

Grades quality of strength of recommendation?

No

Discloses funding source?

No

Discloses conflicts of interest?

No

Includes benefits/harms analysis with recommendations?

Yes