The Handbook of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Public Health

Get the comprehensive resource for LGBT public health issues!

Public health services for sexual minorities have suffered from practitioners’ lack of knowledge about sexual or gender orientation, specific health concerns, and inherent system homophobia and heterosexism. The Handbook of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Public Health: A Practitioner’s Guide to Service provides a unique focus on LGBT public health, offering positive direction for practitioners looking for guidance in methods to ensure a healthy community for all while taking into consideration the special needs of sexual minorities.

Ignorance and fear by both practitioners and LGBT clients leads to less-than-optimum public health services. The Handbook of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Public Health extensively discusses these issues clearly, working to foster cultural competency among public health professionals. This book lays the groundwork for better understanding of LGBT health issues and their relationship to overall public health, then delves into the research on how incorporating LGBT cultural competency can improve academic institutions and continuing education programs. The problem of providing health care access and the health issues burdening each segment of the LGBT community are discussed in detail, all with a focus on providing effective solutions to tough challenges. Clear strategies are also presented for improving city, county, state, and national public health infrastructures and policies. The issue of productive and safe work environments in business and the private sector for LGBT individuals is addressed, along with a close look at the advantagesand pitfallsof media and Internet resources. Many chapters are illustrated with tables and diagrams; each chapter is exhaustively referenced, includes useful lists of selected resources, and asks questions to spark thought on the issues as they pertain to the reader's circumstances.

The Handbook of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Public Health discusses:

the inequities in health care for LGBT people

overt prejudice, discrimination, disdain, or outright denial of services

assumption by health professionals of risk factors based on sexual or gender orientation rather than individual behaviors and health history

unwitting expression of biases of many public health practitioners

the effect of social stigma on public health care services

LGBT cultural competency framework for institutions of higher learning and professional organizations

LGBT awareness, sensitivity, and competency training

sexually transmitted diseases

reproductive cancers

intimate partner violence

noncommunicable diseases among gay and bisexual men

’down low’ behavior (avowed straight men with spouses having sex with other men) as public health issue

AIDS-related malignancies

transsexuals and transphobia

hormonal therapy

sex reassignment surgery (SRS)

mental health needs of transsexuals, cross-dressers, and intersex individuals

barriers to health care access

insurance systems

confidentiality of medical records

substance use

health care issues for LGBT youth and young adults

health care needs of LGBT elders

recommendations for improvement of health and welfare services

The Handbook of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Public Health is a one-of-a-kind resource for LGBT public health issues, essential for public health professionals, practitioners, health services professionals, substance abuse counselors, disease intervention specialists, public health advisors, community health service administrators, community based agencies, and community health nurses. Educators in community hea