LGBTQ+ Parents' Experiences Accessing Health Care for their Children with Developmental Disabilities

Abstract: For children of LGBTQ+ parents, anti-LGBTQ+ bias and discrimination in health systems may delay the early identification of developmental disabilities and result in conferred biases that limit access to equitable healthcare. Timely, LGBTQ+-inclusive interventions not only optimize pediatric health outcomes but also reduce unnecessary healthcare costs. Early identification of developmental disabilities is critical for children ages 0-5 during rapid brain development; early childhood is the optimal treatment window. However - due to a paucity of research on the intersection of sexual orientation, gender identity, and conferred biases - the ethical and clinical impact of bias and discrimination on children’s disability care in LGBTQ+-parent families is largely unknown.

This paper analyzes results of a national mixed-methods study on the impact of health care bias and discrimination with U.S. LGBTQ+ parents and their children with disabilities. Both survey data and interviews from LGBTQ+ parents of children with disabilities will be used to explore their experiences of bias and discrimination when accessing their children’s care and perceptions of how this bias and discrimination affected disability screening and diagnosis.

Experiences of bias and discrimination by LGBTQ+ families are intersectional with additional challenges faced by families of children with disabilities. The serious impact of bias on trust diminishes the patient-practitioner relationship, risk/benefit analysis for parents sharing sensitive health information with care teams, and privacy concerns related to sexual orientation and gender identity. This session will conclude with parents’ recommendations for inclusive practices for practitioners to build trust with LGBTQ+ families in the pediatric disability space.