Welcome to August’s 2nd edition! It is evident that the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community face discrimination in the field of medicine. Read below to learn more about healthcare discrepancies in the LGBTQ+ community. In addition, learn about Charles Richard Drew, the father of blood banking and the first African American to earn their doctorate from Columbia University!
LGBTQ+ Community in Medicine
Saivishnu Tulugu
While the term LGBTQ+ was first used in 1988 to describe people who did not identify as cisgender heterosexual, there are many references to homosexual and transgender peoples in ancient civilizations. In fact, archaeologists theorize that the practice of homosexuality and transsexuality date as early as humanity itself. (Morris, 2009)
Despite its widespread prevalence, the American Psychological Association considered homosexuality to be a mental disorder until 1973. There is no doubt that the damage from pathologizing homosexuality and other sexual orientations causes discrepancies in access to healthcare for people who identify as LGBTQ+.
One study found that US Medical Schools spend an average of five hours on LGBT education for medical students. (Cohen, 2019) Thus, it is unsurprising to find that American physicians have limited knowledge about the experience and care for LGBTQ+ individuals. This lack of experience leads to discrepancies in health outcomes for LGBTQ+ patients. A study from researchers at Harvard Medical School found that LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to suffer from mental health disorders compared to heterosexual individuals. (Safren et. al) Moreover, many LGBTQ+ patients avoiding seeking medical care to fear discrimination or retribution from their healthcare providers.
Yet, this is not to undermine that progress is still being made to address these discrepancies and educate the healthcare community about LGBTQ+ patients. Medical schools have started funding more LGBTQ+ research projects and education initiatives. One such example is Stanford Medical School. In 2015, Stanford Med started the PRIDE Study which is the first large scale LGBTQ+ cohort study to study health as well as wellbeing in sexual minority groups. With over 16,000 participants and a focus of over 2500 topics, the study has been revolutionary in finding and addressing determinants for discrepancies in health for LGBTQ+ people and how the medical community can address these issues.
Other medical schools should follow suit and include LGBTQ+ training as a routine standard in physician training so that our future medical professionals have the tools they need to serve a diverse demographic.
Charles Richard Drew: The Father of Blood Banking
By Jayleen Vilma
Charles Richard Drew was born on June 3, 1904, and was born and raised in Washington. Despite the racial tensions, especially in the medical field, Drew proceeded to pursue medicine. Due to his great discoveries and the findings he’s shared, he is known as the father of blood banking.
A blood bank is where blood is donated and preserved so it can later be used for blood transfusions. The first ever recorded blood transfusion was in 1667 where a boy received blood from a sheep and miraculously survived. The first human-to-human blood transfusion was recorded in 1818, but unfortunately, the patient died. Drew attended Columbia University, and was the first African American to earn a doctorate there. While at Colombia, he was able to conduct doctoral research where his discoveries on collecting, processing, and storing blood made history. This was especially significant since his findings took place during World War II.
Even though Drew established what we know as blood banks, he himself couldn’t partake in it. Despite blood banks growing nationwide, the Red Cross excluded African Americans from donating blood. The policy was later changed, however, blood donations were racially segregated; only blood donated by African Americans could be used for other African Americans. Drew stated this segregation of blood as “unscientific and insulting to African Americans,” and was nonetheless still able to break down barriers. In 1944, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People awarded Drew with the Spingarn Medal, and in his final years of life, Drew was a professor at Howard University and served as chief surgeon at Freedman’s Hospital. It was on April 1, 1950 that Charles Drew passed away at the age of 45.
Works cited:
LGBTQ+:
Cohen, R. (2019, January 20). Medical Students Push For More LGBT Health Training To Address Disparities. Retrieved August 11, 2020, from https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/01/20/683216767/medical-students-push-for-more-lgbt-health-training-to-address-disparities
JAMA and Archives Journals. (2011, September 6). Medical schools spend small amount of time teaching content related to health of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender patients, survey finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 9, 2020 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110906184551.htm
Morris, B. (2009). History of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Social Movements. Retrieved August 11, 2020, from https://www.apa.org/pi/lgbt/resources/history
Safren, S. A., & Heimberg, R. G. (1999). Depression, hopelessness, suicidality, and related factors in sexual minority and heterosexual adolescents. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 67(6), 859–866. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-006x.67.6.859
Stanford Medicine. (2019). PRIDE study of LGBTQ health now based at Stanford. Retrieved August 11, 2020, from https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2019/06/pride-study-of-lgbqt-health-now-based-at-stanford.html
Blood-banking:
“Charles Drew.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 29 July 2019, http://www.biography.com/scientist/charles-drew.
“Charles Richard Drew.” American Chemical Society, http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/whatischemistry/african-americans-in-sciences/charles-richard-drew.html.
“History of Blood Banking.” Community Blood Center, givingblood.org/about-blood/history-of-blood-banking.aspx.
Medical Wonders 