• Ruth McNair, Kelsey Hegarty, and Angela Taft.
• MBBS, DRANZCOG, DA(UK), FRACGP, Senior Lecturer, Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Carlton, VIC.
• Aust Fam Physician. 2015 Aug 1; 44 (8): 573-8.

BackgroundSame-sex-attracted women describe lower satisfaction with their general practice care, compared with heterosexual women. Yet, they have greater health inequalities, which requires effective care. A lack of disclosure of sexual orientation to general practitioners (GPs) may be one factor influencing these issues.MethodsThis study on the disclosure of sexual orientation by same-sex attracted women to their usual GP explored the impact of disclosure on the quality of the patient-doctor relationship. In-depth interviews with 33 same-sex-attracted women and 27 GPs in Australia were conducted during 2005-06. These interviews were analysed to understand the perspectives of the women and their GPs.ResultsDisclosure in the context of provider sensitivity and normalisation enhanced the perceived quality of the patient-doctor relation-ship. Conversely, silencing of disclosure and pathologising of sexual orientation diminished the relationship.DiscussionFacilitating disclosure should be a shared responsibility between same-sex attracted women and their usual GP. This must be accompanied by improved GP knowledge and affirming attitudes regarding specific health needs of same-sex attracted women.

13 keywords...

hide…