The importance of health(ism): A focus group study of lesbian,gay,bisexual,pansexual,queer and transgender individuals’ understandings of health

Abstract

This study investigated understandings of health among lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer and/or transgender people, who are under-represented in research. The study involved 12 focus groups in Aotearoa/New Zealand with 47 participants who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer and/or transgender and responded to an advert inviting participants without chronic illnesses. Three themes were inductively formulated: health is important because education and protection efforts are seen as required to preserve health, health is seen as holistic, and contextual factors are seen as creating health risks. These findings provide insights into how lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, queer and/or transgender people’s understandings of health draw upon notions of healthism.

Keywords

arthritis focus groups gender identity healthism HIV/AIDS qualitative methods sexual orientation

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