This article was written as part of a Michigan Daily investigation into the current state and future of health equity in Michigan. Read other stories from the project here.
Content warning: This article contains references to self-harm and suicide.
LGBTQ+ people in Michigan consistently face health inequities, including disparities in mental health experiences, rates of sexually transmitted infection testing, and rates of substance use. The Michigan Daily spoke to three Michigan researchers and health care providers who are working on some of these issues about existing disparities and potential solutions.
Shana Katari, an associate professor of social work and women's studies at the University of Michigan, conducts research that affirms health care practices for individuals who identify as LGBTQ+, including therapy and sexual health care. Katari spoke to the Daily about her research on the mental health experiences of transgender adults in Michigan across sexual minorities, which also considered other factors such as race, geographic location, and disability. Ta.
Based on the results of a statewide survey of transgender adults in Michigan, Katari and her colleagues found that gender identity was the most important indicator of mental health among study respondents. He pointed out that there is.
“What we found is that the most important thing when it comes to mental health is gender identity,” Katari said. “And in fact, non-binary people were experiencing some – as we use this term – ‘deteriorating mental health,’ depression, and other suicides. They were more likely to have thoughts of harm or attempt non-suicidal self-harm.
Among study participants, those who identified as non-binary experienced the highest rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and non-suicidal self-harm attempts, according to data collected by Kattari et al. It turned out that it was.
Katari said when considering addressing mental health within the LGBTQ+ community, it is important to consider the individual, taking into account the patterns of discrimination faced by members of the community.
“We need to recognize that we cannot apply a one-size-fits-all approach to the entire (LGBTQ+) community,” Katari said. “And I want to be clear here: The mental health concerns are not because these people are transgender, but because we live in a transphobic society. is.”
Katari also said it's important to show support for transgender people in Michigan, especially in conjunction with recent findings, as suicide rates for the LGBTQ+ community are rising nationally.
“I think what we need most right now is for cisgender people to show up for the trans community and speak out against hate,” Katari said. “Because since this paper was published, we're seeing much higher rates of suicidal ideation and completed suicide in the trans community, and many of those are among trans people. Because it is a response to both the political and social movements that seek to harm “us”.
The effects of prejudice and discrimination in the LGBTQ+ community often manifest themselves in ways directly related to health. A study published by the Williams Institute on how prejudice and discrimination affect LGBTQ+ individuals in Michigan found that the LGBTQ+ community is experiencing health problems such as binge drinking, drug use, major depressive disorder, and suicidality. The negative impacts were found to be caused by discriminatory and discriminatory policies. Social dynamics.
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The study found that smoking, binge drinking, and binge drinking all occurred at higher rates in the LGBTQ+ community. The study also found that 44.2% of participants who identified as LGBTQ+ had been identified by a health care provider as having a depressive disorder, compared to a lower percentage of non-LGBTQ+ participants. was also found to be 20.8%.
Pamela Wadsworth, associate professor at Western Michigan University's Bronson School of Nursing, spoke to The Daily about the challenges members of the LGBTQ+ community face when it comes to sexual and reproductive health care.
“We know that unintended pregnancies are more common among transgender and non-binary people, but they are also less likely to receive the medical care they need and, when they do become pregnant, more likely to receive biased medical care. ,” Wadsworth said. .
Wadsworth said it's important for health care providers to understand the importance of being mindful of their words and actions when treating LGBTQ+ patients.
“I think awareness is really important. I really appreciate reading the studies to know the facts and the stories. I've made a lot of mistakes myself, and healthcare providers need to consider that. . And you know, the only way we can do it is, 'Everything will get better,''' Wadsworth said.
LGBTQ+ stigma and discrimination can also discourage some people from seeking care, such as testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections. A 2022 study of HIV and STI testing rates among Southeast Michigan's LGBTQ+ population looked at some of the social factors associated with testing rates. The study found that participants with higher education and income were more likely to have been tested for both HIV and sexually transmitted infections. Additionally, cisgender gay men were more likely to have been tested for HIV than bisexual men or transgender individuals.
In an interview with The Daily, Jayelin Parker, a senior research program coordinator at Michigan Health who worked on the study, spoke about the findings and challenges in providing sexual health care to members of Michigan's LGBTQ+ community. Ta. Parker believes money is one of the most important barriers, especially given the level of community intervention needed to address disparities in sexual health care.
“We need money to pay people to serve these communities and actually address the situation and provide housing for people and provide health care for people,” Parker said. “If you're afraid of people finding out what you're doing, you can't make it a priority to get tested for HIV. …HIV remains highly stigmatized, and so are sexually transmitted diseases. It’s even worse for low-income sexual and sexual minorities, racial minorities (and) people of color.”
Mr Parker said he hoped people would take the opportunity to learn from the findings and disseminate information. She said conducting such research could provide an important service to members of the LGBTQ+ community while also advancing research.
“So this was a $5 million grant and we helped people,” Parker said. “We've had a lot of people get tested for HIV. We've collected this amazing survey data. I mean, the survey data itself is very powerful. It's about what people know, how many people …I mean, I hope people, policy makers, look at this. I hope people will help spread this information.”
Daily staff reporter Bronwyn Johnston can be contacted at: jbronwyn@umich.edu.
