Primary care
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The annual examination is a comprehensive evaluation of patients in which all aspects of health and well-being are considered, including proper screening, appropriate preventive care, and recommendations and resources for healthy living. Clinicians commonly avoid certain topics with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) patients because they may be unprepared to address their health needs. Therefore, clinicians should learn how to conduct an LGBTQ-friendly annual examination in order to provide high-quality care. This article focuses on both the general and unique health needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer patients; care for transgender and gender-diverse patients is considered elsewhere.
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This review describes the authors' experiences in offering gender-affirming primary care and hormonal care using an evidence-based, interprofessional, and multidisciplinary approach. The authors offer references for best practices set forth by organizations and thought leaders in transgender health and describe the key processes they developed to respectfully deliver affirming care to transgender and nonbinary patients.
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This article provides a broad understanding of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic and how to provide appropriate care as a primary care provider. One important aspect to this is in understanding the effect that HIV has in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer+ community. Through this article, clinicians will be better equipped to provide appropriate HIV primary care.
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Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender individuals face the highest burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective evidence-based biomedical intervention to reduce acquisition of HIV infection but uptake has been suboptimal in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations. Primary care providers play an integral role in addressing HIV disparities by educating patients and facilitating access to PrEP. After PrEP initiation, primary care providers should assess for and manage adverse effects, provide appropriate laboratory monitoring, support adherence, and assist patients with access to low-cost or free PrEP options if needed.
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Expand at first use ("lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), and others"? Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being in relation to sexuality. Factors that contribute to the sexual health of an LGBTQ+-identified patient include not only the physical state of the patient but also cultural and contextual factors that influence other aspects of well-being. To be effective in promoting sexual health, providers must maintain an attitude of accepting the patient's sexual orientation and gender identity as core aspects of sexual health. Providers need to examine paperwork, office space, and cultural competence in providing a safe medical home for the LGBTQ+ community.