Treat Sexual Stigma to Heal Health Disparities: Improving Sexual Minorities’ Health Outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-213
Author(s):  
Jes L. Matsick ◽  
Britney M. Wardecker ◽  
Flora Oswald
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Sexual Stigma ◽  
Physical Health Problems

Despite recent strides toward equality in the United States, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people continue to report experiences of sexual stigma and psychological and physical health problems. This article reviews empirical evidence of sexual stigma and sexual orientation-based health disparities. The current framework proposes that sexual orientation does not cause health disparities; homophobic individuals and societies do. Social psychology, recognizing the power of the situation, suggests that changing the stigmatizing environments for LGBTQ people can effectively reduce health disparities. The science has policy implications—notably, for audiences at three levels (intraindividual, interpersonal, and institutional)—and provides recommendations for mitigating sexual stigma and improving health.

scholarly journals Cortisol and Racial Health Disparities Affecting Black Men in Later Life: Evidence From MIDUS II

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 155798831987096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Ober Allen ◽  
Daphne C. Watkins ◽  
Linda Chatters ◽  
Arline T. Geronimus ◽  
Vicki Johnson-Lawrence
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Black Men ◽  
White Men ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The United States ◽  
Racial Health Disparities ◽  
Medical Morbidity

In the United States, Black men have poorer overall health and shorter life spans than most other racial/ethnic groups of men, largely attributable to chronic health conditions. Dysregulated patterns of daily cortisol, an indicator of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis stress–response functioning, are linked to poor health outcomes. Questions remain regarding whether and how cortisol contributes to Black–White differences in men’s health. This exploratory study compared early day changes in cortisol levels (diurnal cortisol slopes from peak to pre-lunch levels) and their associations with medical morbidity (number of chronic medical conditions) and psychological distress (Negative Affect Scale) among 695 Black and White male participants in the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS II, 2004–2009). Black men exhibited blunted cortisol slopes relative to White men (−.15 vs. −.21, t = −2.97, p = .004). Cortisol slopes were associated with medical morbidity among Black men ( b = .050, t = 3.85, p < .001), but not White men, and were unrelated to psychological distress in both groups. Findings indicate cortisol may contribute to racial health disparities among men through two pathways, including the novel finding that Black men may be more vulnerable to some negative health outcomes linked to cortisol. Further, results suggest that while cortisol may be a mechanism of physical health outcomes and disparities among older men, it may be less important for their emotional health. This study increases understanding of how race and male sex intersect to affect not only men’s lived experiences but also their biological processes to contribute to racial health disparities among men in later life.

scholarly journals Addressing Health Disparities in the Undergraduate Curriculum: An Approach to Develop a Knowledgeable Biomedical Workforce

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 636-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocio Benabentos ◽  
Payal Ray ◽  
Deepak Kumar
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Healthcare System ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
The United States ◽  
Undergraduate Institutions ◽  
Minority Serving Institutions

Disparities in health and healthcare are a major concern in the United States and worldwide. Approaches to alleviate these disparities must be multifaceted and should include initiatives that touch upon the diverse areas that influence the healthcare system. Developing a strong biomedical workforce with an awareness of the issues concerning health disparities is crucial for addressing this issue. Establishing undergraduate health disparities courses that are accessible to undergraduate students in the life sciences is necessary to increase students’ understanding and awareness of these issues and motivate them to address these disparities during their careers. The majority of universities do not include courses related to health disparities in their curricula, and only a few universities manage them from their life sciences departments. The figures are especially low for minority-serving institutions, which serve students from communities disproportionally affected by health disparities. Universities should consider several possible approaches to infuse their undergraduate curricula with health disparities courses or activities. Eliminating health disparities will require efforts from diverse stakeholders. Undergraduate institutions can play an important role in developing an aware biomedical workforce and helping to close the gap in health outcomes.

Sexual orientation‐related oral health disparities in the United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-24
Author(s):  
Scott B. Schwartz ◽  
Anne E. Sanders ◽  
Jessica Y. Lee ◽  
Kimon Divaris
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Oral Health Disparities

scholarly journals Reconsidering Citizenship Models and the Case for Cultural Citizenship: Implications for a Social Psychology of Social Justice

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Langhout ◽  
Jesica Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Social Psychology ◽  
United States ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Theoretical Foundation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Citizenship ◽  
Melting Pot ◽  
Starting Point

This chapter reviews citizenship constructions in the United States and examines how historic, legal, economic, schooling, and multicultural “melting pot” ideology landscapes shape citizenship and its performance. It introduces cultural citizenship as an alternative starting point for citizenship and its performance, providing a theoretical foundation and empirical evidence for cultural citizenship, and argues in support of incorporating this framework into social psychology when working toward collective social justice. It also discusses the implications of adopting a cultural citizenship perspective for social psychology and how this perspective can extend our understanding of citizenship practices to enact social justice. We conclude with recommendations for research and action.

scholarly journals Immigration and Health Disparities

2022 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Immigrant Health ◽  
Limited English Proficiency ◽  
Service Use ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Risk Behaviors ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Increased Risk

Migration continues to be an important component of globalization. With global movement comes migrants’ vulnerability, and the consequent intersection with health and health disparities. The immigrant population in the United States is expected to increase to about eighty-one million by 2050. This ongoing demographic transformation suggests that the health status, health risk behaviors, and health disparities of immigrants and their offspring may play a significant role in shaping the health outcomes of the American population. Immigrants are particularly considered a vulnerable population because of insufficient access to and utilization of health care, limited English proficiency, low socioeconomic status, immigrant status, stigmatization, marginalization, and increased risk for poor physical, psychological, and social health outcomes, especially among the working poor. These factors undoubtedly have detrimental effects on the health and health disparities of immigrants and their children. These social, environmental, and behavioral occurrences or life experiences accumulate over time to improve or jeopardize an individual’s health. Similarly, immigration policies have a tremendous impact on immigrant health disparities, especially during periods of strict and intense enforcement in the United States. Nativity has become a prominent domain in health disparities research. Given that nativity, racial, and ethnic health disparities continue to be a major public health concern, social work scholars and practitioners continue to work toward eliminating health disparities among population subgroups, including immigrants. Included in these discussions are immigrant health service use, immigrant health effects, salmon bias, and determinants of immigrant health. Also important in working with immigrants are problems with accessibility to health services.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document