Page 42 - BEQ Magazine Iss 20 Fall 2021 WebRev09272021

22 Health & Health Behaviors
IMPORTANCE OF TAILORED MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
How valuable would mental health resources developed for LGBTQI+ individuals be to you?
*
83% cis male 86% cis female 94% gender expansive
valuable
15%
not * 85%
valuable
“

With respect to mental health

in particular, it seems that
locally there are no criteria for
what constitutes LGBTQI+ care.

Mental health providers state
they are “friendly” and have no
means of describing what that

means. Some are not at all
aware of their own biases
and subtle homophobia.

FROM PAGE 33 “You’ve got to tell us that you’re welcoming some-
how,” he continued. “If you’re not doing something to
Only 3% of respondents identified as transgen-
der compared to 92% who identified as cisgender. show you’re part of the solution, how do we know that
(Another 5% identified as nonbinary or gender you’re not part of the problem?”
non-conforming.) Trans people, especially trans Dr. Scout offered suggestions for health care
BIPOC, have much higher health risks built into their providers to demonstrate that they are inclusive, wel-
lives coupled with significant barriers to accessible, coming and safe. One easy way to do this, he said, is
knowledgeable, inclusive health care providers. asking for and incorporating preferred pronouns into
Scout noted that trans people who do see health communications, using them to sign off on emails
care providers may not feel comfortable disclosing and including them on websites and business cards.
their true gender, which leads to inadequate statistics. Another is providing gender-neutral bathrooms. And,
Information requested on the intake form at a doc- of course, the most important is that doctors, nurses
tor’s office or cancer center gives the National LGBT and other medical practitioners and staff are trained
Cancer Network data it needs to form a bigger picture in inclusive practices.
of what’s going on with cancer care and survival. Scout said that the survey would be used to inform
Of course, this is a two-way street. “Don’t expect us the network’s provider trainings and educational
to disclose to you something vulnerable until you’ve resources for community members. “The fact that
disclosed to us that you’re going to be welcoming,” more cancer centers are reaching out for training and
Dr. Scout said. Putting up a Pride flag in June is not to do community engagement gives me hope,” he said.
enough. The National Cancer Survey is available for down-
load at cancer-network.org. 

42 FALL 2021 BUSINESSEQUALITYMAGAZINE.COM