Addressing Opioid Use Disorder in the LGBTQ Community

In medical settings, LGBTQ patients also seem to be exposed to opioids at disproportionate rates. The National LGBT Health Education Center report, citing data from the Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, says that “58% of sexual and gender minority respondents between 35–44 years of age report ever being prescribed an opiate by a medical professional, compared with just 35% of their sexual and gender majority counterparts.” This may be a result of specific clinical situations that LGBTQ adults face, such as post-surgical pain management from gender affirmation surgeries or treatment for chronic pain (which many older patients living with HIV experience).

The National LGBT Health Education Center report also notes that providers should, in recognition of the frequent co-occurrence of substance use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, provide trauma-informed care. This includes training for staff, screening patients for trauma history and resulting behaviors of posttraumatic stress, and linking patients to resources.

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