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Addressing Health Disparities in Sexual and Gender Minority Populations: A...
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Addressing Health Disparities in Sexual and Gender Minority Populations: A Call for Inclusive and Trauma Informed Care Approaches

A special issue of Sexes (ISSN 2411-5118). This special issue belongs to the section "Sexual and Reproductive Health, Sexual Medicine, and Psychosocial Remediation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 3517

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Julia López

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
Interests: people living with HIV; immigrant populations; sexual and gender minority individuals; health disparities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urgent action is needed to address the significant health disparities that sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals encounter compared to their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. These disparities stem from a complex interplay of social, economic, and environmental factors, leading to discrimination, stigma, and systemic barriers within healthcare settings. As a result, SGM individuals experience higher rates of mental health conditions, substance use, and suicidal behavior and have limited access to quality healthcare services in general.

Furthermore, SGM populations have higher prevalence rates of certain physical health conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, especially among gay and bisexual men and transgender women. Limited access to culturally competent healthcare providers, coupled with past traumatic experiences within the healthcare system, exacerbates these disparities, often causing SGM individuals to avoid seeking medical care due to discrimination and a lack of understanding from medical professionals.

Addressing health inequities among SGM individuals is a multifaceted endeavor that necessitates comprehensive, multilevel approaches. These approaches must prioritize inclusivity, cultural humility, and anti-discrimination policies within healthcare systems. Therefore, additional intervention strategies and support are required to safeguard the rights and dignity of SGM individuals, which are essential steps toward achieving health equity.

Dr. Julia D. López
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sexes is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sexual and gender minority individuals
  • health disparities
  • health equity
  • cultural humility
  • trauma-informed care
  • LGBTQIA+ health
  • stigma
  • discrimination
  • mental health
  • physical health

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 273 KB  
Article
Examining the Most Insidious Stressor: Systemic Protective Factors and Mental Health Outcomes for Latina/e/x Sexually Expansive Women
by Dumayi Gutierrez
Sexes 2025, 6(3), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes6030051 - 10 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1949
Abstract
Background: Sexually expansive (sexual identities beyond traditional monosexual categories) Latina/e/x women navigate intersecting systems of oppression shaped by cultural expectations, gender norms, and heterosexism. Despite their resilience, they remain underrepresented in minority stress research. This study examines how individual (sexual and ethnic identity [...] Read more.
Background: Sexually expansive (sexual identities beyond traditional monosexual categories) Latina/e/x women navigate intersecting systems of oppression shaped by cultural expectations, gender norms, and heterosexism. Despite their resilience, they remain underrepresented in minority stress research. This study examines how individual (sexual and ethnic identity centrality), relational (social support from family, partners, and friends), and communal (community connectedness) protective factors relate to internalized heterosexism and improved or diminished mental health factors (life satisfaction and psychological distress). Methods: Grounded in an intersectional ecological systems and minority stress framework, this study uses secondary data from the Generations Study, a national longitudinal investigation of sexually expansive adults in the U.S. from 2016 to 2019. A subsample of sexually expansive Latina/e/x women (n = 120) was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, multiple regression, and moderation analyses. Results: Sexual and ethnic identity centrality was independently associated with lower internalized heterosexism. Family, friend, and significant other social support were significantly associated with improved and diminished mental health factors, as was community connectedness with sexual identity centrality. ANOVAs and moderation results were non-significant. Conclusions: These findings highlight the protective impact of identity affirmation and social support on mental health, offering valuable insights for clinicians, researchers, and community leaders supporting a strong yet underrepresented group. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Addressing Health Disparities in Sexual and Gender Minority Populations: A Call for Inclusive and Trauma Informed Care Approaches)

Review

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 480 KB  
Review
Sex and Relationship Education for Individuals with Disabilities: A Review of the Literature Through an Ecological Systems Lens
by Gustav Oppermann, Caroline Van Zant, Isabel Coughlan, Sophie Howarth, Nicole Sparapani and Kathryn Pedgrift
Sexes 2025, 6(3), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes6030052 - 17 Sep 2025
Viewed by 603
Abstract
Despite advances toward disability inclusion, high-quality sex and relationship education (SRE) is often inaccessible for disabled communities. Confounding this issue, each individual’s experience of SRE is shaped by aspects within their environment, such as societal contexts, cultural factors, policy frameworks at the national [...] Read more.
Despite advances toward disability inclusion, high-quality sex and relationship education (SRE) is often inaccessible for disabled communities. Confounding this issue, each individual’s experience of SRE is shaped by aspects within their environment, such as societal contexts, cultural factors, policy frameworks at the national and local levels, and the attitudes of parents and educators. This informal review of the literature synthesizes historical and contemporary literature—focusing primarily on individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism—to explore the multifaceted barriers and opportunities for effective SRE. We have situated the literature within Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory to illuminate how interactions among and within the environment shape individual experiences with SRE. The literature outlines several barriers to successful SRE programs for the disabled community, including pervasive misconceptions about the sexual and relational needs of disabled individuals, inadequate training for educators, and limited empirical evidence underpinning best practices. Our paper underscores the need for comprehensive, evidence-based curricula that align with the desires of the disabled community, are accessible to people with disabilities and their communities, and employ a variety of instructional methods to support learning across the life course, beginning in adolescence. We conclude by outlining future directions for research and practical solutions for curriculum development, emphasizing the importance of addressing these multi-layered challenges to enhance SRE for disabled people and their communities. Approaching and conceptualizing the literature within a systems framework and through our shared perspectives and experiences is noteworthy, as our review provides a descriptive and unique lens to understanding SRE influences on people with disabilities nationally and internationally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Addressing Health Disparities in Sexual and Gender Minority Populations: A Call for Inclusive and Trauma Informed Care Approaches)
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