Psychological Experiences and Vulnerability of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBTI) in Access to Quality Health Care Services in Rural Areas of Zimbabwe

Abstract

LGBT is an acronym for lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals who are characterised by sexual behaviour, identity, and desire. These individuals are most discriminated and stigmatised as a result of legal, cultural and religious landscape. LGBT are a hidden or invisible population with disproportional risks to health infections. The LGBT are placed outside prime laws of the land hence they are vulnerable to abuse, rejection and face some hindrances in accessing quality health care, education, and other social services. Accessing needed health care services is among the most daunting challenges that LGBT community confronts especially in the rural settings. Religiosity and cultural values, acts as a bigger impediment to access health care of people who practice ‘same gender loving' in Sanyati rural areas of Zimbabwe. The LGBT experience sexual act through intercrural sex, fellatio, hand-jobs, foot-jobs, inter-gluteal sex, mammary sex, oral and axillary sex. The study used the Transformative Paradigm (TP) and Critical Emancipatory Research (CER) as the beacon of the research. This research design enables the researcher to explore the problems faced by LGBT population in accessing the much-needed health care services and their vulnerability. Data was gathered from the lesbians, gays, transgender and bisexual on their experience and vulnerability in accessing health care services in rural areas. Data was collected through social medial platforms and face to face through a snowball sampling and opportunistic sampling technique. The research findings revealed that LGBT face challenges of accessing the needed health care services due to fear of coming out, discriminatory and incompetent healthcare, lack of information, underrepresentation and lack of confidence. The study recommends opening up referral clinics in rural areas and offer education on the effects of not seeking health care services. The study also predicts that HIV/AIDS will not end so early due since the key population are left out as a result of legal and cultural issues.