TY - JOUR
T1 - A qualitative investigation of healthcare engagement among young adult gay men in New York City
T2 - A P18 cohort substudy
AU - Griffin, Marybec
AU - Krause, Kristen D.
AU - Kapadia, Farzana
AU - Halkitis, Perry N.
N1 - Funding Information: This study was funded by The New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute (Contract Number T030337) and NIDA (1R01DA025537; 2R01DA025537). Publisher Copyright: © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2018.
PY - 2018/8/1
Y1 - 2018/8/1
N2 - Purpose: We used in-depth interviews with a cohort of young adult gay men (YAGM) to provide a more detailed understanding of their current healthcare engagement, including experiences with the healthcare system, provider knowledge of healthcare needs, and desired provider characteristics. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 40 YAGM in New York City. The interview guide examined healthcare engagement across key developmental stages: Childhood (birth-12), adolescence (13-18), young adulthood (19-22), and the present (23-26). All transcripts were coded using a consensual qualitative research approach to identify crosscutting topics. The interviews were conducted between September and October 2015. Results: The following topics were identified: Experiences with the healthcare system, provider knowledge of healthcare needs, and desired provider characteristics. Common barriers to healthcare access were financial concerns, lack of insurance, and dissatisfaction with the care provided. Reasons for dissatisfaction with care were based on perceptions of providers' anti-gay attitudes, judgment of same-sex sexual behavior, and lack of provider knowledge about YAGM's health needs. This often led men in this study to seek sexual healthcare from providers other than their primary care provider. When asked about desired provider characteristics, participants noted that basic demographics were of less importance than skills-based characteristics such as rapport, comfort discussing sexual health issues, and knowledge of YAGM's health. Conclusion: YAGM have unique challenges to engaging in healthcare, including provider stigma and lack of provider knowledge of YAGM's health needs, which are not faced by other young adult populations. The results from this study highlight the need for more extensive and standardized training in medical school and as part of continuing medical education for healthcare providers.
AB - Purpose: We used in-depth interviews with a cohort of young adult gay men (YAGM) to provide a more detailed understanding of their current healthcare engagement, including experiences with the healthcare system, provider knowledge of healthcare needs, and desired provider characteristics. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of 40 YAGM in New York City. The interview guide examined healthcare engagement across key developmental stages: Childhood (birth-12), adolescence (13-18), young adulthood (19-22), and the present (23-26). All transcripts were coded using a consensual qualitative research approach to identify crosscutting topics. The interviews were conducted between September and October 2015. Results: The following topics were identified: Experiences with the healthcare system, provider knowledge of healthcare needs, and desired provider characteristics. Common barriers to healthcare access were financial concerns, lack of insurance, and dissatisfaction with the care provided. Reasons for dissatisfaction with care were based on perceptions of providers' anti-gay attitudes, judgment of same-sex sexual behavior, and lack of provider knowledge about YAGM's health needs. This often led men in this study to seek sexual healthcare from providers other than their primary care provider. When asked about desired provider characteristics, participants noted that basic demographics were of less importance than skills-based characteristics such as rapport, comfort discussing sexual health issues, and knowledge of YAGM's health. Conclusion: YAGM have unique challenges to engaging in healthcare, including provider stigma and lack of provider knowledge of YAGM's health needs, which are not faced by other young adult populations. The results from this study highlight the need for more extensive and standardized training in medical school and as part of continuing medical education for healthcare providers.
KW - barriers
KW - facilitators
KW - gay men
KW - healthcare engagement
KW - provider characteristics
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U2 - https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2017.0015
DO - https://doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2017.0015
M3 - Article
C2 - 30048197
VL - 5
SP - 368
EP - 374
JO - LGBT health
JF - LGBT health
SN - 2325-8292
IS - 6
ER -