Discuss aspects of a health concern not being addressed (LGBTQ issues) despite the efforts of services and partnerships involved and describe the ultimate outcome(s) or goal(s) from Healthy People 2020 relating to that specific health concern.

Introduction:

Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgenders, and Queers (LGBTQ), are some of the issues that have not been fully addressed despite services and partnership efforts. Lack of understanding and support of LGBTQ people has resulted in a variety of health disparities. In this essay, we will describe how this particular health issue is not being adequately addressed. We also discuss Healthy People 2020’s ultimate goals for this concern.

The Health Care System Does Not Address:

In spite of the many services and partnership efforts, some aspects of LGBTQ concerns aren’t being addressed. The first issue is the widespread discrimination that LGBTQ people face in medical settings. This is something we rarely address. LGBTQ people often refrain from seeking medical attention due to the fear of being discriminated against and judged by healthcare professionals. This results in a lack access to essential healthcare services. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that healthcare professionals are not trained or aware of the issues surrounding LGBTQ health.

Second, LGBTQ issues aren’t being adequately addressed. According to studies, LGBTQ people face a higher risk of mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety. This is due to their social isolation, stigma and discrimination. Unfortunately, LGBTQ individuals do not have access to mental health care that is culturally sensitive.

The lack of awareness and education among policymakers and the public about LGBTQ issues, is the third major barrier in addressing the health issue. More education and awareness raising activities are needed to help promote understanding and acceptance for LGBTQ individuals.

Health People 2020: Ultimate Goals

Healthy People 20/20 has established several final goals that address health issues of LGBTQ people. The goals of Healthy People 2020 include:

1. This goal will increase the number healthcare professionals who are trained on LGBTQ-related health issues. Lack of training and awareness on LGBTQ-related health issues is a major contributor to discrimination against LGBTQ individuals and to their inability to access essential healthcare.
2. Access to culturally-competent mental health care for LGBTQ people: The goal of this objective is to reduce the disparities in mental health experienced by LGBTQ persons by increasing their access to such services.
3. To increase public education and awareness on LGBTQ issues. This goal is to combat the lack of awareness, education and understanding among policymakers and the public regarding LGBTQ issues. It does this by encouraging acceptance and understanding of LGBTQ people in the society.

The data is compared and contrasted:

According to data collected, LGBTQ individuals face health disparities that are different from the rest of the population. According to studies, LGBTQ people are more likely to suffer from mental disorders, addictions, chronic illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, and substance abuse. The fear of judgment and discrimination from health care providers also makes them less likely than others to seek out healthcare. Data also indicates that healthcare providers are not well-informed and trained on LGBTQ issues, which is contributing to this problem.

It is evident from the statistics that the health issues of LGBTQ persons are not adequately addressed, even though services and partnerships have been established. The discrimination of LGBTQ patients in health care settings continues to be prevalent. And mental healthcare services are frequently not culturally sensitive. Also, there is a general lack of awareness and education among policymakers and the public about LGBTQ issues.

Strengths and weaknesses of the community:

Strengths of the LGBTQ Community include resilience, and their ability to build supportive networks both online and off-line to deal with discrimination and stigma. In addition, the community has active advocacy organisations that are dedicated to promoting the rights and wellbeing of LGBTQ people. Lack of healthcare, mental health issues, and lack of acceptance are all weaknesses for the LGBTQ community.

Areas for Improvement

There are several areas that need improvement to better address the concerns about health of LGBTQ persons. The first thing to note is that there are several areas where improvements can be made in order to address the health concerns of LGBTQ individuals.