The National LGBT Cancer Network recently expanded its directory of LGBT-friendly cancer screening facilities to include medical centers outside of the New York City area. Two screening facilities in Chicago, Howard Brown Health Center and Rush University Medical Center, are included on this list.
The LGBT Cancer Network is the first cancer program to specifically address the needs of LGBT individuals. The mission of the LGBT Cancer Network is "to improve the lives of LGBT people with cancer and those at risk." They hope to accomplish this task by educating the LGBT community, training healthcare providers, and advocating for LGBT inclusion in national cancer organizations, research and the media.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, LGBT individuals are present in 99 percent of U.S. counties. Thus, nearly every doctor in the country has LGBT patients. Yet, LGBT patients still face discrimination and ignorance within the healthcare system. As mentioned by the National LGBT Cancer Network, "one in five transgender patients has been turned away by a healthcare provider" and "medical students receive under five hours of training on LGBT issues in their entire medical education."
In addition to the ignorance and discrimination that they often face, LGBT individuals are susceptible to a number of other unique healthcare difficulties. As Liz Margolies, LCSW, executive director of the National LGBT Cancer Network, told Windy City Times, "As a group, [ LGBT individuals ] have dramatically increased cancer risks ... traced back to the stigma of living as sexual minorities."
Among these risks are the increased use of alcohol and tobacco; the decreased likelihood among women of having had a child before 30; and the increased likelihood among men of the human papilloma virus known to cause some kinds of anal cancer. As Margolies also stated, "Individuals are only covered for procedures that match the sex on their insurance card." This makes it difficult for transgender individuals to obtain some cancer screenings.
There are a number of possible solutions to these problems. Margolies said that these solutions include marriage equality; cultural competence training; anti-discrimination laws; LGBT-targeted tobacco cessation and substance-abuse programs; and meeting places other than bars.
The National LGBT Cancer Network has attempted to alleviate some of these problems by offering a list of LGBT friendly cancer screening facilities. In evaluating these facilities, Liz Margolies asked each medical center, among other things, about its experience with LGBT patients; the availability of uninsured/self-pay care and care for undocumented citizens; the services of mammograms; and staff training on LGBT issues.
These questions determined their inclusion on the list. Margolies said the National LGBT Cancer Network is still collecting names of facilities with the goal that, in the future, every one will have an LGBT-friendly screening facility within driving distance of his or her home. The network is also continuing its cultural competence training program and hopes to extend its personalized risk report.
Windy City Times contacted Howard Brown Health Center and the facility's Lisa Katona—who is with the Lesbian Community Care Project—for comment about the network. However, neither responded by the time this article went to press.
The network's full list of LGBT-friendly cancer screening facilities is at http://www.cancer-network.org/screenings/facilities.
