Cultural and Social Diversity in Healthcare: A Comparison of Healthcare Accessibility for LGBTQI and Refugees in Australia

This essay compares the healthcare accessibility for LGBTQI and refugees in Australia. It discusses the risk factors related to health, how to address the issues, and the similarities and differences between the two communities. The essay emphasizes the importance of providing adequate healthcare services and policies specifically driven towards these communities.

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Cultural and social diversity in Health care
Introduction
Social and cultural diversity play an important role in health care delivery. Different
cultures have varied perceptions of healthcare and often follow their own traditional medicines
(Lecca, Quervalu, Nunes, & Gonzales, 2014). Moreover, the standard of healthcare differs from
one country to another. The expectations related to healthcare standard are also another
determining factor of healthcare perception. Socioeconomically deprived or controversial groups
of the population always have less access to standard health care services (Kirmayer, 2012).
While providing healthcare, professionals and policymakers should give adequate importance to
the social and cultural diversity of healthcare. LGBT rights stay at danger worldwide at a
moment (Stinchcombe, Smallbone, Wilson, & Kortes-Miller, 2017). They face challenges from
all parts of society even in developed nations. Similarly, the refugees have to settle in a new
country; have to face hardship along with extreme poverty to build everything once again (Khan
& Amatya, 2017). Obviously, healthcare will be neglected. Therefore, it is even more essential to
offer these groups of society with adequate healthcare services and have policies specifically

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driven towards these communities (Khan & Amatya, 2017). The current essay focuses on the
comparison between the two socially deprived communities in Australia in relation to healthcare
accessibility. An effort is made to address both the similarities and differences among these two
population groups.
Healthcare provision to LGBTQI in Australia
Respect is central to cultural competence-patients who think that their health care
suppliers respect their cultures, language, principles, traditions, and views are more inclined to
interact openly and sincerely. In a setting for health and social welfare, the core of a social
setting depends on the equality and inclusion of all individuals. As a life-long growth phase,
homosexual identity is abstracted by most societies (Gahagan & Colpitts, 2017). It is important
to provide a social structure where an individual to accept a favorable homosexual self-image
and a definite personal identity.
Health-Related Risk Factors
Research has shown that an overly large proportion of LGBTQI population has a greater
risk than their counterparts for suicidal tendencies. Evidence shows that LGBTI individuals and
community at high danger of suicide is not linked to genders identity, sexuality, or intersex
features, but because of psychological suffering that could happen in connection with their own
LGBTI identity, feelings of discrimination, bias, the experience of abuse, violence, and feeling
of exclusion.
Multi-layered stigma, marginalization, and discrimination are detrimental to many
transgender, lesbian, intersexes, gay, and bisexual individuals. Violence, intimidation or
dismissal and discrimination from workplaces, families, education, community, and colleagues -

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usually are risk variables for their mental health. Rejections and harassment compelled
compliance with generations or pain and isolation from infancy or genital operations or
compelled use of hormones can also be considered risk factors for these individuals (Mereish,
O’Cleirigh, & Bradford, 2014).
How to address the issue
Their families, educational establishments and workplaces, friends and partners, and
mainstream services and community-related aids and groups can help them in these
circumstances. Culturally skilled mental health services can also contribute to their betterment
(McNair & Bush, 2016). In showing significant lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender and
intersex resilience, they share comparable narratives to individuals with mental health problems,
especially with regard to how stigma caused by identification problems, loss of self-esteem, and
discrimination have been achieved.
The ideas for regeneration from significant social engagement, self-management, self-
determination, private development, decision, and individual capability are in accordance with
affirmative exercise and procedures. It is important to ensure that LGBTQI individuals do not
feel marginalized within the mainstream service provision — both by healthcare professionals
and other stakeholders. It is vital to ensure inclusiveness and safety with peer support programs
and inviting all to attend (Martin, Butler, Muldowney, & Aleksandrs, 2019).
A favorable response to the major problems that LGBTQs are confronted in the health
scheme is provided during this health reform period in Australia. Research in Australia and
internationally has shown that the LGBTQI has poor health and well-being compared to
heterosexuals, who are perceived normal by society (Sanchez, Southgate, Rogers, & Duvivier,

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2017). The grounds for this are not known. One prevailing hypothesis, the minority stress model,
indicates, in their everyday life, that LGBTQI individuals are subjected to discrimination and
stigmatization.
LGB individuals revealed worse health, mental health, and life satisfaction in several
studies than directly individuals. In line with prior studies, many researchers discovered little or
no distinction in their health and well-being when comparing LGBTQI and straight individuals
in low-stigma societies. However, when comparing LGBTQI and straight individuals in high-
stigma societies are compared, distinctions were much greater. They examined whether
perceived social assistance (powerful networks, friendships, excellent social relationships)
helped to establish the connection between stigma and LGBTQI health and well-being. As the
studies expected, they discovered that LGBTQI receives less social support than the straight
counterpart (Lyons, Hosking, & Rozbroj, 2015).
The disadvantage encountered by LGBTQI individuals within culture arises from social
environments that are hostile to them. The absence of recognition of LGBTQI individuals and
the absence of social assistance they obtain in even a comparatively advanced nation such as
Australia is largely accountable for their general bad health and lack of well-being.
Even strategies, such as the provision of homosexual marriage, certainly help improve
LGBTQI people's visibility and standardize their experiences. However, more needs to be done
to redress the LGBTQI community's social inequality. Research studies showed that cultural
stigma can be tackled effectively by providing care and support to this community and
heterosexual neighbors need to offer appropriate social support for them.
Healthcare provision for refugees in Australia

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Australia has a big and growing refugee population and refugee females specifically have
a particular, varied health requirements with the need for complicated and conscientious nursing
and health services reactions. Besides commenting on one's own heritage, a physician also has to
think about other societies - but in the framework of social relativism. Cultural relativism is a
sociological concept that all societies are similarly true and lawful types of human speech and
therefore have to be recognized (Ozdowski, 2017). For the care of refugees, including female
refugees involved in unfamiliar and difficult medical procedures, culture relativism is
particularly crucial (Tay et al., 2013).
Health-Related Risk Factors
Australian refugees have distinct circumstances than the overall population.The health
demands of refugees are substantial. In the Australian healthcare system, delivering facilities to
migrants remains difficult (Johnston, Smith, & Roydhouse, 2012). The most prevalent diagnoses
among refugees were hepatitis B, LTBI, parasite diseases, and vitamin deficiencies. Refugees in
Australia are regularly recognized as under-served mental health and infectious diseases. This is
complemented by variables such as bad care in their nation of origin, trauma, extended
imprisonment and obstacles to suitable care on entry. In this case, there are several other
variables. The minors are even more at risk in particular.
How to address the issues
Refugees experience major obstacles to access and engage in health care and often rely
on familiar ways to solve the unknown. This has consequences for all fields of the provision of
service. General practitioners have a vital role in refugee cares and refer them to specialists when
required. Health administrators and professionals should consider enhancing employees’ cultural

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competencies. Politicians have to consider the participation of groups and make language and
social support available and accessible. Research is required to find ways of efficiently
implementing these interventions. Research in distant regions is restricted and the additional
proof is required in these environments (Hadgkiss & Renzaho, 2014).
Australia has strict control over the search for refugee status as part of the Program for
Refugees and Humanitarian Assistance. Those who come without a visa in Australia are subject
to compulsory arrest (Ziaian, de Anstiss, Antoniou, Baghurst, & Sawyer, 2013). The proof
suggests that prolonged imprisonment, particularly cause mental health issues and has clearly a
negative impact and morbidity is transmitted to settlement. In view of these health concerns,
most countries and territories have their own strategies aiming at enhancing refugee health, with
distinct goals and aims. But no consistent domestic strategy still exists (Correa‐Velez, Barnett, &
Gifford, 2015).
Refugees have access to the Medicare benefits program in all the communities, allowing
a general practitioner to complete an assessment of refugee health in the first 12 months.
Refugees are also connected with relocation organizations that provide support for six to 18
months upon entry in the health scheme. These facilities form the original experience of refugees
in the health scheme (Enticott et al., 2015).
In the Australian healthcare system, refugees experience many distinctions, including
English (language barrier), educational constraints, and cultural differences. Such
unknowingness impedes their commitment to utilities. Some of the refugees have bad literacy
owing to language problems, which is described as the ability to acquire data and facilities on
fundamental hygiene, to process it and to comprehend it. This was demonstrated by a lack of

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comprehension in medical procedures, diseases, health, and health care schemes. Differences in
health care between Australia and their nation of origin also led to concern, incomprehension,
isolation or hardship. Refugees also had distinct healthcare systems standards and expectations
of the Australian government(Taylor & Haintz, 2018).
In the creation of an unknown setting, cultural distinctions between refugees and health
care employees have also had a part. Refugees frequently voiced worries about the cultural
incompatibility and failure to comply with social methods of facilities. There has also been a lack
of cultural sensitivity. The significance of supporting families, child discipline and care of the
elderly were linked to some cultural principles that refugees report.
Refugees said some health workers fail to understand the trauma they had been suffering
in their past, offer insensitive advice or cause distress by constantly telling them of their old
days. Health professionals often explored sensitive or problem questions that refugees considered
inappropriate in their religion or culture (Ziaian et al., 2013).
Some health workers have not tried to comprehend the difference in cultural backgrounds
or demands and have made wrong statements in several circumstances. Furthermore, migrants
felt excluded when medical personnel dismissed their methods in social or traditional medicine
rather than accepting their validity with respect (Au, Anandakumar, Preston, Ray, & Davis,
2019).
Therefore it is not unusual that refugees usually prefer medical professionals with a
common background and a strong comprehension of refugees and their cultural diversities or
differences. The notion of data sharing has demonstrated the significance of offering and
comprehension of the requirements of refugees for health information. Refugees expect an

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elevated level of sharing information to assist them to navigate a complicated health
environment, which is not familiar to them and often result in misconception and lack of
understanding (Mengesha, Dune, & Perz, 2016). More sharing of information can only help them
to solve problems they are facing in unfamiliar settings. There is limited or inadequate
information on the accessibility of facilities.
Often cultural unsuitable, interpreted or specific health information is present. A solution
to the obstacles faced by refugees can be transferring them to specialized refugee hospitals
providing various facilities and in-situ interpretation. However, it can present difficulties such as
dependence and follow-up problems to remove migrants from main care into these hospitals.
Coherent summary: similarities and differences between the two case studies
In the field of health care, social and cultural diversity play a significant part.Both the
case studies have similar risk factors related to health. Both the communities have to face social
oppression and chance of mental trauma leading to mental health problem. The minors of these
two communities often face trauma from their peers. However, the reason for the trauma is
different. There is often financial hardship as well leading to malnutrition, infection diseases, and
other health consequences. Both the communities face trauma in different phases of life, one due
to the revelation of sexual orientation and the other due to cultural differences and the traumatic
experience of being a refugee in a new country.
The differences between the two case studies begin with the fundamental differences
between the two communities that result in oppression. While the LGBTQI community
oppression is related to sexual orientation, the refugee community faces an unwelcome attitude
from the local population.

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