Primary care of lesbian and gay patients: educating ourselves and our students.

摘要: Although a significant proportion of the population is gay or lesbian, physicians receive little formal training about homosexuality, and unique health care needs these patients are often ignored. Gay men women may have higher rates depression, suicide, alcoholism, certain cancers, cardiovascular disease than their heterosexual counterparts. In addition, they at risk being victims violence because sexual orientation. Due to fear stigmatization by medical community, most for lesbians, gays, bisexuals be that avoid routine care. youth particularly vulnerable internal external pressures, resulting in substance abuse, homelessness. Older women, who generally view themselves positively, troubled declining loneliness. Physicians can improve bisexual families maintaining non-homophobic attitude toward patients, distinguishing behavior from identity, communicating with gender-neutral terms, awareness how own attitudes affect clinical judgment. Medical educators should making assumptions sexuality residents students. Institutions need realize presence supportive openly faculty will help create an environment fosters learning all Scant research exists best ways teach special challenges lesbians face. However, majority surveyed students prefer issues regarding gays integrated throughout entire school curriculum.