Delaware journal of public health最新文献

As health care systems across the United States continue to grapple with a new health landscape changes brought from the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for robust and accurate data collection continues to be an ongoing need. While some national directives exist for health care organizations, the implementation of systematic sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data domains for health care organizations is often a complex, interdisciplinary undertaking. The authors provide a current state status of national policies and best practices for SOGI data domain collection in health care environments, as well as practical considerations for health care organizations seeking to implement or expand their own collection of SOGI data domains. Due to the rapidly evolving landscape of socio and geopolitical changes around healthcare delivery in the United States, health care organizations may benefit from assessing their own current capabilities to collect and use SOGI data domains to support health equity for LGBTQIA2S+ patients and families.

In June 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Tennessee's ban on gender affirming care for minors can stand, as it did not constitute sex discrimination. This meant that the decision of whether to protect or restrict gender affirming care for minors is a decision left up to individual states, similar to how the court ruled in the landmark Dobbs decision. What lessons can transgender advocates take from the fight for reproductive rights, and how can transgender rights advance despite a flurry of attacks?

Sexual health is a foundational aspect of health and wellbeing, yet many healthcare and mental health providers avoid conversations about sex with their patients. This article explores how inadequate training and systemic discomfort around sexuality lead to missed diagnoses, invalidation, and harm-especially for LGBTQIA+ individuals and other sexually marginalized communities. Drawing from clinical experience and current research, the author outlines how silence around sexual concerns can deepen shame, perpetuate inequities, and drive patients away from care. This article offers practical, affirming strategies for initiating these essential conversations and encourages clinicians to reflect on their own values, biases, and knowledge gaps. This work calls on all healthcare professionals to normalize discussions of sexuality as routine, respectful, and integral to care-not peripheral.

In spite of the apparent tolerance in Delaware for those who identify as LGBTQ+, these communities still face enormous challenges related to visibility, acceptance, and fair access and treatment across healthcare and social settings. These challenges will undoubtedly be exacerbated by current federal budget cuts, although the extent to which the degradation of rights won will become permanent remains unknown.

To truly embrace gender-affirming care, society must also address the broader social determinants of health that impact transgender and nonbinary individuals. This entails tackling issues such as housing instability, unemployment, and mental health challenges through tailored programs and inclusive policies. Holistic support mechanisms can help create a foundation where individuals not only access care but also feel empowered to lead fulfilling lives. Moreover, research and data collection must evolve to include and accurately represent gender-diverse populations. This can shape targeted interventions and foster a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced within these communities. By prioritizing inclusive research practices, public health systems can ensure that policies and programs are grounded in evidence that reflects lived experiences. As the journey toward equitable care continues, it is essential to celebrate the resilience and strength of transgender and nonbinary individuals. Their voices and lived experiences should remain central in shaping policies, practices, and narratives surrounding gender-affirming care. Together, communities, policymakers, and healthcare providers can drive systemic change that affirms and uplifts every individual, embodying the true essence of equity and justice.

The LGBTQ+ Community is experiencing a very organized, legislative effort to stop, block, and halt medical and mental health services at both the state and federal levels of government, and yet LGBTQ+ people experience higher rates of PTSD, warranting an imperative need for access to these services. This article will focus on how repetitive, systemic bullying often leads to complex trauma and dissociative experiences for survival, and how an integrative, culturally responsible therapeutic approach is necessary for EMDR trained therapists (and trauma-responsive clinicians).