Ana Macedo, researcher at the Algarve Biomedical Center and professor at the Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (FMCB) of the UAlg, has just seen the project “How to promote equity in health for LGBTQIA+ people? – Finding the gaps and training primary care health professionals", which aims to support and recognize citizen science initiatives in Europe.
With funding of 20 euros allocated to kickstarting projects, under the topic “Cities for life”, this project has as its main objective, according to the University of Algarve, «to contribute to the improvement of the health status and equity of people belonging to sexual and gender minorities (people who identify as being LGBTQIA+)”.
The project assesses the knowledge, practices and perception of discrimination by health professionals working in primary health care in the Algarve region, regarding disparities in the health of LGBTQIA+ people.
In a second phase, the project includes training and awareness actions aimed at health professionals, but also at the community in general.
For Ana Macedo, «discrimination against people belonging to sexual and gender minorities is present in several factors of society, and, although inclusion is part of national and European policies, we are far from achieving true equity and inclusion».
“Health is one of the most critical domains, as minority groups have worse health than the general population. The reason is intersectoral and there are several factors that contribute to this result», emphasizes the University of Algarve.
According to the researcher, “on the one hand, LGBTQIA+ people assume that professionals do not know how to deal with their problems, that they will be discriminated against and, therefore, avoid contact. On the other hand, professionals lack specific knowledge, have difficulties with language and communication. The result is a greater burden of disease and higher mortality”.
In his opinion, «acting to understand existing gaps and, at the same time, raise awareness and give practical skills to health professionals to be agents of social change with regard to inclusion, is a challenge that aims to promote health in a global sense and fight social and economic inequalities, making the Algarve, Portugal and Europe more resilient and inclusive regions".
Comments