Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Populations in the 2011 National Healthcare Disparities Report, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (April 2012)

This fact sheet outlines key findings from a 2011 review of healthcare disparities in the U.S., focusing on access to and quality of care for transgender individuals. The authors found that transgender people are more likely to be uninsured; half of transgender people postpone preventive and illness-related care; 30% of transgender patients postpone care due to discrimination by providers; and one in five transgender people has been denied care due to his or her gender identity. These findings provide further evidence of the need for expanded access to healthcare services, as well as the negative correlation between LGBTQ individuals' willingness to seek health services and lack of LGBTQ competence among service providers. The report therefore demonstrates the importance of staff training to improve cultural competence and tolerance among health providers.