Traversing barriers to health care among LGBTQ+ Latinx emerging adults: Utilizing patient experiences to model access

Enduring multiple sources of marginalization, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ+) youth of color living at the United States-Mexico border navigate stigma and health challenges surrounding their LGBTQ+ and ethnic identities. This study sought to delineate barriers to health care experienced by marginalized young adult patients.
We qualitatively examined the patient experiences of 41 LGBTQ+ Latinx young adults (ages 18-24) in the Rio Grande Valley between 2016 and 2017. Often tied to their experiences of emerging adulthood, most respondents emphasized how financial barriers, including cost of services and disruptions to insurance status, prevented them from seeking care (barriers to care). However, youth also underscored how prior patient experiences tied to their ethnic and LGBTQ+ identities, including apprehension discussing their sexuality with care providers (barriers within care), shaped their health care seeking strategies. This study utilized patient experiences to delineate potential sources of barriers to care experienced by LGBTQ+ Latinx young adults. Practitioners should seek to actively create inclusive and identity-affirming care environments and be sensitive to how prior negative experiences may be deterring young adult patients from seeking care or revealing personal details during the care encounter. If we are to better model access, we need to consider the patient experiences of diverse populations.
Related content
-
Patient Family & Community Engagement
PX Chat on PFA/PFACS: Revitalizing/Rebuilding (October 1, 2025)
12pm ET / 11am CT / 10am MT / 9am PT – Join The Beryl Institute community for an opportunity to connect with your peers on the support and resources needed to address efforts around revitalizing and rebuilding PFAs and PFACs in their organizations. Breakout discussion groups allow you to share your challenges, celebrate your
Learn more -
Patient Family & Community Engagement
Trust Remains the Foundation of my Practice
Navigating healthcare while managing the complexities of disease, especially in elderly individuals, is challenging for both patients and their families. Physicians play a crucial role as pathfinders in this journey. However, physicians often experience burnout when dealing with patients and families facing complex illnesses. This narrative highlights the characteristics that enable physicians to effectively negotiate
Learn more -
Patient Family & Community Engagement | Staff & Provider Engagement
Co-Creating Change Using Storytelling
During this webinar members of the Global Patient and Family Advisory Board (GPFAB) will demonstrate how telling stories instead of creating guidelines for healthcare professionals will improve patient outcomes. The GPFAB has created a unique storytelling guide that will help healthcare professionals understand the principles of sharing patient/care partner lived experience through storytelling and how
Learn more