Rod Charlie Delos Reyes
Lecturer
University of Batangas (Philippines)
PhD student
University of the Philippines Manila Center for Gender and Women Studies (Philippines)
Co-authors
Leilani Apostol-Nicodemus, Erica Gabrielle Delos Retes, & Jamie Ann G. Arnes
Researchers
University of the Philippines Manila Center for Gender and Women Studies (Philippines)
Perspectives and experiences of the LGBT community in Filipino healthcare: A photovoice project
The Philippines is regarded as one of the most gay-friendly countries in Asia; however, the acceptance of LGBT individuals is conditional. Despite nearly two decades of legislative debates, a law ensuring protection against discrimination for the LGBT community remains unenacted. This contributes to the continuous struggle of Filipino LGBT individuals for fair and equal opportunities. Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in providing quality services and promoting access to essential social determinants of health, yet a lack of knowledge and skills among these professionals exacerbates health disparities for the LGBT community. This study employs the Occupational Justice Framework, pADL (activities of daily living) key questions, and the Participatory Occupational Justice Framework to explore and describe the healthcare access and utilization experiences of LGBT members through visual representations. Using Photovoice, a community-based participatory research (CBPR) method, the study engages participants in documenting and discussing their community’s strengths and concerns. The study’s goals are to empower LGBT individuals to photograph and record their healthcare experiences, promote community discussions about critical healthcare issues, and provide opportunities for community change by engaging policy and decision-makers. By highlighting the critical role of healthcare professionals in mitigating health disparities and promoting occupational justice, this research aims to improve health outcomes and ensure equitable healthcare access for the Filipino LGBT community.