A Queer Reluctance to Seek Medical Treatment

This study explores whether queer people wait longer than non-queer people to seek professional medical care in the wake of an illness or injury. Little scholarship has evaluated queer people's pursuit of palliative medical care. An online survey was distributed to Virginia Tech students aged 18-30 years old who have experienced an illness or injury in the last year that compromised their daily function. Using demographic data obtained about gender identity and sexuality, respondents were divided into "queer" (non-cisgender and/or non-heterosexuals) and "non-queer" (cisgender, heterosexuals) groups. The survey assessed the number of days between the onset of an illness or injury and the first attempt to schedule care. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences suggesting that, of the people who had received care in the last 12 months, queer people, on average, waited fewer days than non-queer people to attempt to schedule care. This does not include respondents who indicated that they did not receive care in the last 12 months. This may indicate that queer people forego seeking palliative care unless absolutely necessary. This study is informed by M. Reynolds's Health Power Resources theory, and demonstrates the importance of measuring not only the presence of behaviors but also the absence of relevant behaviors when applying this theory. Based on the results, this study calls for further research into both delays in care-seeking behavior and into healthcare avoidance among queer individuals.