Summit 2019: Queering Healthcare Access & Accessibility
Gay, bi, queer and other men who have sex with men (cis and trans) and Two-Spirit people (GBT2Q) are more likely to face unnecessary barriers to accessing the healthcare they need. These may be barriers to health services, medications, or information to look after our bodies and experiences.
Many of these access issues are rooted within inequalities and inequities across society, including homophobia, heterosexism, racism, transphobia, and many other sources of oppression and privilege that shape our lives. These inequalities shape our ability to access health care and social supports, and can negatively impact the way that we express our gender and sexuality. Our ability to get to, or into a space or service (e.g.: long distances to where services are, lengthy waitlists), get information and services in our language of choice, find a provider who can provide non-judgmental care for our sexual and mental health, pay for medications or treatments, or connect with peers and community members who share our experiences – all represent important dimensions of access faced by GBT2Q.
With GBT2Q continuing to represent the majority of new HIV infections in Canada, our ability to access essential HIV-related services is as important as ever. Research has pointed to significant disparities in access to HIV testing, treatment, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) between provinces and cities, and between rural-suburban and urban settings. For example, far fewer GBT2Q in rural-suburban communities feel they can discuss their sexuality with a nurse or a doctor. But even in an urban setting, finding a queer and/or trans-friendly doctor can be daunting.
This year’s Summit is dedicated to talking about what is and isn’t working for GBT2Q to access everything we need to live happy, healthy, and supported lives. Summit will also highlight critical findings from the Sex Now survey as we turn our focus on how we can increase access and accessibility to health care and community supports for GBT2Q. We want to hear from community workers, health care providers, counsellors, researchers, Elders, and teachers about how access can be strengthened for all GBT2Q.
Information for Submission of Presentation Proposals
Everyone and anyone are welcome to submit a presentation proposal. CBRC is seeking submissions for oral and poster presentations, panel topics, workshops, video presentations, roundtable discussions, and readings at Summit 2019. We especially encourage submissions on the topic of access and accessibility, such as research on barriers to care/services, as well as interventions to increase the accessibility of specific services or to specific groups of GBT2Q, including underserved, ignored, or erased GBT2Q. Submissions can be based upon research, programming, advocacy, activism, grassroots responses, and/or community-based actions engaging GBT2Q in Canada.
The following is a list of topics, themes, and issues you may consider in the context of GBT2Q healthcare access and accessibility:
- Access and accessibility needs and interventions (community-based, clinical, and/or policy-related) for priority prevention, support, and treatment services:
- HIV and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infection (STBBI) prevention, care, treatment, and support services
- Mental health services (e.g. counselling, suicide prevention)
- Harm reduction, substance use, and addictions services
- Trans-affirmative treatment, care, and support services
- Barriers and enablers to healthcare access and accessibility among GBT2Q:
- Cultural competency among healthcare and other service providers
- Stigma within the healthcare system
- Internalized stigma (e.g. sexuality, gender, HIV, race, disability)
- Policy and practice issues affecting GBTQ2 access and accessibility
- Community awareness, empowerment, and mobilization
- Research and data to guide program/service delivery and evaluation
- Bias in funding mechanisms or approaches
Submissions on other access-related topics are also welcome. If you have any questions regarding the Summit, including whether your proposal idea aligns with the conference and/or theme, please contact us at [email protected].
Deadline for Proposal Submissions: May 31, 2019
300-word max, with title, author(s), and affiliation to be printed in the Summit programme, should your submission be selected. Please indicate your preferred presentation format (e.g. oral presentation, workshop, or poster).
Presentation Formats:
1. Oral Presentations: 15-20 minutes
Ideal for research and evaluation findings, program reviews, project results. The Programming Committee will group presentations into panels of four.
Suggested Headings:
- Goals: Intended audience; learning objectives
- Background/Issues: Research/program objectives; summary of issues
- Methods: Research methods and/or program activities
- Results: Summary of data; lessons learned; implications for practice and/or policy
2. Workshop, Panel, Skills Building, Readings: 1 or 1.5 hours
Ideal for interactive presentations involving knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary or interprofessional dialogue.
Suggested Headings:
- Overview: Background; rationale
- Goals: Intended audience; learning objectives
- Activities: Speakers, topics, exercises
- Discussion: Audience involvement in discussion, questions, summation
3. Poster Presentations: 30-60 minute fair/symposium
Ideal for sharing health promotion and education campaigns, artwork, research or program descriptions and/or updates; work in progress, intervention summaries. Ideal for one-on-one conversation.
Suggested Headings:
- Background/Issues: Research/program objectives; rationale
- Methods/Actions: Description of research and/or program activities
- Discussion: Summary of data/results, limitations, reflections
- Next Steps: Anticipated developments; adjusted practices
For all other information regarding our Summit 2019, click here.
