Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trangender Coloradans face greater challenges than heterosexual Coloradans do in accessing health care, according to a study (pdf) brought out this week by gay rights advocacy group One Colorado.
The study found that LGBT residents report many of the same concerns as those reported by the general population– anxiety over affordability, access and quality of care, for example– but that those concerns were exacerbated by discrimination or fears of discrimination, which lead many LGBT patients to hide the facts of their sexual and gender orientation. Many participants in the study also cited a lack of confidence that their care providers were trained to treat LGBT patients in knowing ways, sensitive to specific or unique concerns and experiences.
The study conducted last year was based on community health conversations and on an online survey of roughly 1,300 LGBT Coloradans. Results were presented in part in a series of five graphs.
