Affirming Primary Care for Queer Natal Females: The Development of an Integrated Primary Care Curriculum for LGBTQ+ People Assigned Female at Birth
Date of Award
8-24-2024
Document Type
Doctoral Research Paper
Degree Name
Psy.D.
Organizational Unit
Graduate School of Professional Psychology
First Advisor
Kathryn Barrs
Second Advisor
Scarlett Choi
Third Advisor
Mallaree Blake
Keywords
Integrated primary care, LGBTQ+ health, Sexual minorities, Assigned female at birth (AFAB) individuals, Queer natal females, Primary care provider education
Abstract
Queer natal females (QNF) or LGBTQ+ people assigned female at birth (AFAB) encounter disproportionately higher risks of mental health challenges and preventable medical conditions in comparison to their cisgender and heterosexual counterparts. This heightened vulnerability predominantly stems from obstacles hindering access to affirming primary care settings, where such issues are typically identified. Ensuring effective prevention and early intervention within integrated primary care, particularly with a focus on behavioral health, emerges as crucial for fostering the overall well-being of LGBTQ+ AFAB or QNF patients. However, primary care providers often lack the requisite cultural competency training necessary to administer affirming care, resulting in instances of neutral or adverse patient-provider interactions. Consequently, QNF individuals may avoid seeking primary care altogether due to apprehensions surrounding discrimination and lack of knowledge by their providers. This doctoral paper underscores the urgency for educational initiatives targeted at primary care providers to address the integrated behavioral health needs specific to queer natal females. It contends that the provision of culturally responsive care holds the potential to significantly bolster prevention and early intervention endeavors targeting chronic mental health disorders and preventable diseases within this demographic. Lastly, this paper advocates for the development and execution of comprehensive, integrated primary care provider curriculum to effectively mitigate these disparities. It discusses the development and implementation of such a curriculum at Tepeyac Community Health Center in Denver, CO, sharing lessons learned and possibilities for future directions.
Copyright Date
7-15-2024
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
All Rights Reserved.
Publication Statement
Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.
Rights Holder
Brenda Kane
Provenance
Received from author
File Format
application/pdf
Language
English (eng)
Extent
64 pgs
File Size
8.1 MB
Recommended Citation
Kane, Brenda, "Affirming Primary Care for Queer Natal Females: The Development of an Integrated Primary Care Curriculum for LGBTQ+ People Assigned Female at Birth" (2024). Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects. 540.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/capstone_masters/540