Improving Pathways to Health for LGBTQ

Populations in Canada

An Intersectional Approach

Speakers• Lorna Boschman, University of British

Columbia• Jacqueline Gahagan, Dalhousie

University• Clemon George, University of Ontario

Institute of Technology• Nathan Lachowsky, University of

Guelph• Daniel Pugh, Gay Men’s Sexual Health

Alliance of Ontario

Moderator: Brian Condran, Dalhousie University

Learning Objectives

1. Define LGBTQ-specific public health issues and related health outcomes among participants.

2. To identify ways in which sexual and gender minority status may impact health outcomes beyond the domain of sexual health.

3. To explore intersectional approaches for incorporating LGBTQ pathways to health into public health, health promoting initiatives.

4. To develop mulitsectoral partnerships aimed at meeting the health needs and realities of LGBTQ populations through this national dialogue.

Agenda1. Panel2. Small group discussion3. Plenary

Emerging Research

• Moving from “deficits” to “strengths”– Health outcomes

• Expanding beyond sexual health– Physical, mental and social health

• Incorporating new theory/frameworks– Life course– Minority stress

• Researching for action– Sex Now: substance use/experience– Cruising Counts: online social-sexual circuits

• Population-specific health information – Public Health Core Competencies

Emerging Research

1. What are the important principles of and approaches to conducting needs assessments / priority setting with LGBTQ+ communities?

2. How might we better collect data to appropriately document the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals? How do we change these systems and processes?

3. How do we establish and nurture the necessary mulit-sectoral partnerships in order to deliver culturally appropriate public health initiatives to highly diverse LGBTQ+ communities?

African Caribbean

• Black Canadian youth and their parents face challenges in discussing sexual health, dating, relationships (and HIV);

• Several intersecting factors augment these challenges- such as:– Gender– Culture– Intergenerational shifts– Prominent role of parents in

interventions

African Caribbean

• How can public health workers support youth in their sexual health development without ignoring the role of Black parents?

• How can public health workers support Black parents in the sexual health development of youth without being seen as disrespectful?

Cancer’s Margins

• Cross Canada study of LGBT2Q adults who have been diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancer

• Study probes how knowledge is gathered to inform treatment decisions

• In-depth interviews and Digital Storytelling data

• 56 patient and 16 support person interviews to date

Cancer’s Margins

• How can public health workers go beyond “inclusion” to incorporate capacity to mobilize, modify and distribute cancer health knowledge?

• How can public health workers promote electronic patient records with information about gender identity and sexual orientation?

The sexual, mental & emotional of gay men

• HIV and STI rates continue to remain disproportionately high

• Evidence of mental and emotional impacts are profound

• “Syndemics” and the intersectional lives of gay men

• Resilience: leveraging strengths and capacities

• What is the Gay Men’s Sexual Health Alliance?

• What is “Our Agenda”?

The sexual, mental & emotional of gay men

1. How might we define what a public health “priority” looks like for gay men in Canada?

2. How can we address the structural factors (beyond sexuality) that impact gay men?

3. How might we shift gay men’s health to something beyond “the knee to the navel”?

SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS

Thank you.