The Complexity of Trauma for LGBTQ+ People: Considerations for Acute and Critical Care

Trauma care is complex. Acute and critical care clinicians perceive trauma as a skilled response to critical injury or accident that occurs to patients, but trauma exists on many levels. One of those is a grim reality for patients who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and from other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+). A lifetime of trauma through stigma, discrimination, and victimization is too often present. Owing to distrust of the health care system and clinicians, LGBTQ+ experience health and health care disparities.