Stigma and health disparities in vulnerable groups: a descriptive study

Vulnerable individuals face significant barriers in accessing healthcare due to stigma and discrimination, which limits their access to necessary medical services. This study investigates the stigma and healthcare inequalities faced by LGBTQ individuals in Turkey. The participants were selected from among individuals residing in different regions of Turkey. The snowball method, being a purposeful sampling method, has been used in the study. The questionnaire was filled out by 132 people in total. The questionnaire used in the research was developed by the researchers based on a literature review and consists of four parts. This study reveals that participants commonly experience verbal violence in healthcare settings, with transgender individuals facing the highest level of exclusion from healthcare professionals. Transgender individuals had the highest rate in the group (57.1%) when it came to the occurrence that healthcare professionals tried to end the medical consultation as soon as possible and refrained from medical intervention. When the attitudes and behaviors of the participants toward healthcare employees exhibiting stigmatizing attitudes were examined, it was observed that most participants (25.2%) continued their treatment. We are of the opinion that this is the first study that comprehensively reflects the social stigmas and healthcare inequality experiences of LGBTQ individuals in Turkey and that it will serve as a guide in further research.