The Role of Healthcare Stereotype Threat and Social Identity Threat in LGB Health Disparities

Health disparities exist between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals and heterosexuals and can be explained by differential access to healthcare, unique experiences with discrimination, and higher prevalence of HIV/AIDS. This article will examine another possible explanation, namely healthcare stereotype threat and social identity threat in the healthcare experiences of sexual minority individuals. In doing so, this article integrates previous research on stereotypes and discrimination with regard to LGB individuals as well as research concerning LGB individuals' experiences with healthcare providers. The article concludes with a discussion about future research and potential interventions to ameliorate identity threats for LGB individuals in healthcare contexts. From a social justice perspective, identity threats serve as an important contextual variable feeding health disparities among sexual minorities. If better understood, such threats and resultant disparities may be reduced via cost-effective changes in environmental cues and educational strategies.