Article 1
In the report that the LGBT Foundation published, one notes that the LGBTQ+ people are at high risk of contracting COVID-19. Currently, the rate of HIV infections is high in LGBTQ communities, increasing their susceptibility to COVID-19 (LGBT Foundation, 2020). Besides, the government requires people living with HIV to stay at home and avoid in-person meetings; hence, LGBTQ communities cannot access medical care. Also, LGBTQ patients are unlikely to visit healthcare facilities due to LGBT phobia; others are inactive, homeless, and smoke, and hence, they cannot self-isolate and recover from COVID-19 (LGBT Foundation, 2020). LGBTQ people are likely to be victims of domestic abuse. Social isolation, low income, and lack of savings force them to live with LGBT phobic family members who may abuse them.
Article 2
A report by USA Today highlights the challenges that LGBTQ+ people experience under the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the factors that increase COVID-19 complications are smoking, cancer and HIV, and discrimination in the healthcare system ( Eadens, 2020 ). Older LGBTQ+ adults avoid enrolling in meal programs, fearing harassment and discrimination, while young LGBTQ+ patients are considered “non-risk” demographic. As a result, LGBTQ+ people have high emotional and psychological trauma; they end up abusing drugs and suppressing their immune systems ( Eadens, 2020 ). Some LGBTQ+ people have accepted that they may die from COVID-19 since the state and federal governments have not implemented strategies to improve primary care. For example, most states do not have laws prohibiting health insurance companies from gender and sexual orientation prejudice ( Eadens, 2020 ). For this reason, LGBTQ+ communities have to take care of themselves.
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Discussion
To address these concerns, LGBT groups and non-profit organizations should organize online support groups to unite and deliver essentials such as food and medicine to the LGBTQ communities. They can also set up mutual aid funds so that people can offer financial assistance to LGBTQ+ patients. A long-term solution would be to introduce education seminars that teach medical students how to identify and address their implicit biases. Healthcare professionals need to interact with LGBTQ+ communities to understand their challenges and advocate for their needs.
References
Eadens, S. (2020, May 18). LGBTQ community may be ‘particularly vulnerable’ to coronavirus pandemic . Here’s why . USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/18/lgbtq-coronavirus-community-vulnerable-covid-19-pandemic/2863813001/
LGBT Foundation. (2020, May 29). Why LGBT people are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 . https://lgbt.foundation/coronavirus/impact?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=d9b0f1383df5bd0230ca0c174c3e5931c3ca7a05-1619078080-0-AalRdBl3KFeeOKrFY1RoVRENhStYN_3k8-NC3_dVcGI9yU2ftiGUAEE1WkjR-NDcUIAKgCub0ickS2Xmr5_dQXtEmg1nUz1dZgqJPyPFJRjqrS81uxMU-UeYZkLgQD2fWiACDEztRrHM3-7rjoz7X8C5QOpgBDL0QT1Vy_ixIP3x9NZbkkeaS2iqnMIwKm62eqp9QVa71i4kZUmtzzUf2ZdodveBY5tgm44EPUTMlWv4Jss_TXCNqiMjZvV3r_Cc1tNcucwe7jzlfr3LozNN4nPBmB9oZmRhulgOBFqfAbBlThJE5ww3dXkftZkn5326gLMDVrGks42tfogdT00XErP8g2M5oPLHygeLrCH5gEjJFGO4s_0SxtWFSOlrSfdeuIJNuXtEQ4x5OUXwe-aZu9s
