Table 3.
Focus Group Comments on Provider Practices, n = 40
| Positive provider practices |
| “The councilor [sic] at my school asks me about my sexuality (I talk to her often) and she's curious about it and she's a wonderful lady so I'm very comfortable talking about something like that with her because she makes you feel welcome and she doesn't judge you” (16-out).a |
| “I feel most comfortable with the doctor at my school. She was very helpful and friendly, not as robotic as the normal doctors. And made me feel very safe and like I was talking to her in confidence” (17-out). |
| Judgmental attitudes and bias among healthcare providers |
| “It feels like they're judging you based on your past experiences or previous mistakes, like your sexual history makes you immoral, and that can make it discouraging to talk about” (17-not). |
| “My doctor just told me not to have sex before marriage” (15-out). |
| “My doctor… complained about me getting implanon [contraceptive implant] put in [by saying] ‘I'm a pediatrician and not trained to do that seeing as my clients really should not need it’” (17-not). |
| “Since I'm young, they tend to judge and shame more instead of trying to make you aware of the safety concerns of it” (15-not). |
| “The last time I was at the doctor she asked if I was active, and I told her I am gay. She [the doctor] just sat in stunned silence for a few minutes then left the room… I'm not a fan of doctors anymore” (17-not). |
| Assumptions of patient heterosexuality |
| “They usually just assume that you're straight” (17-not). |
| “Most of them assume I'm straight and therefore don't bother asking and educating me about it” (17-not). |
| “Generally adults will assume you're straight unless you tell them otherwise, or a significant stereotype applies to you” (17-not). |
| “They would ask if I was sexually active and I would say no, but I was with women so I didn't know if I should tell them” (15-out). |
| “She didn't ask about sexuality, I guess she just assumed I was straight because I was going for birth control” (16-not). |
| “The nurse and doctor I talked to did not ask my sexuality at all, I'm guessing because I was sexually active with a guy at the time and I told them that, and instead [they] were more worried [about]… birth control options” (16-not). |
| “I did not tell my doctor about my sexuality yet, but talking to her about birth control was fine” (17-not). |
| “I was required to take a pregnancy test… she's never asked about my sexual orientation, but I would be comfortable talking to her about it” (17-out). |
| “A doctor has only ever mentioned HIV protection by saying that condoms can be used for prevention. The doctor does not know my sexual orientation” (16-not). |
| Missed clinical opportunities for HIV and STI testing |
| “[I have] had pregnancy tests… but I don't believe I've ever been tested for HIV or STDs” (17-not) |
| “[Doctors] talked to me about HPV, but not HIV” (17-not) |
| “The only time I can think of [speaking with a provider about HIV]… [was] when my doctor wanted to give me a shot preventing genital warts and explained it wouldn't prevent HIV” (17-out) |
a
Comments followed by age and whether out to at least one parent/guardian.