Chronic Illness Care for Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Individuals

Nurses provide care for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) patients on regular basis, whether they know it or not. Education of health care workers routinely has excluded discussion of patient sexuality, rendering LGB patients invisible or stigmatized, and has offered few tools to nurses to provide quality care for their LGB patients with chronic illnesses. This chapter provides basic information about LGB chronic health care to increase awareness and sensitivity about this marginalized patient population and focuses on providing specific information to help nurses care for these individuals.