LGBTQ+ CLINIC

LGBTQ+ CLINIC. Efforts to open an LGBTQ+ Clinic began in Dubuque in January, 2017. Such a service could meet unaddressed health care needs in the tri-state region. Those leading the effort, like Indigo Channing, soon realized the finding providers with experience working with the specific population was many challenges.

Transgender and non-binary people (those who do not exclusively identify as a man or woman, reported a need for providers who could administer hormone replacement therapy. This required physician referrals, medical supervision, and lab work. Many transgender people routinely travel to Cedar Rapids or Iowa City to receive the service. The University of Iowa Health Care's LGBTQ Clinic opened in 2012. Officials of the clinic in Iowa City reported that from 2012 to 2018 an estimated 650 of their transgender patients traveled from outside Johnson County.

LGBTQ+ community members have documented greater incidences of smoking, substance abuse, depression and anxiety, STD and HIV infection, cardiovascular disease and suicide attempts. They are also likely to lack health insurance according to an article in a 2010 issue of he American Journal and Public Health.

Organizers of the Dubuque clinic noted they were interested in working with local organizations, but declined to name any that had been contacted. Whatever the choice, the consideration was made for using telemedicine.

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Source:

Goldstein, Bennett, "Volunteers Hope to Establish Dubuque LGBTQ Clinic," Telegraph Herald, April 23, 2018, p. 3