Health Information for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) People

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Although many health issues of the LGBT community are no different than concerns of other groups, some health concerns are specific to the LGBT community. For example,

  • Increased mental health stress by being victims of discrimination and violence
  • Lesbians may be more at risk for certain cancers and less at risk for others based on specific behaviors and choice
  • Gay and bisexual men are at greater risk for HIV
  • Research shows that gay and bisexual men are more likely to smoke than heterosexual men - this could increase these men's risk for lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease
  • Negative experiences in the past with the medical profession, who may have displayed homophobic treatment of the LGBT individual, could lead to less frequent visits with health care providers
  • Because many LGBT people fear that coming out will lead to discrimination, especially if they live in small communities, they are less open about discussing their sexual behaviors with their health providers, resulting in a possible increase in health risks
  • LGBT people often have less access to health insurance, as most workplace policies do not cover unmarried partners.

By providing links to resources that are relevant to the Louisville Metro LGBT community in these pages, we hope to increase the community's access to healthcare information, and decrease many of the health risks for this community.

Local Information

Physical Health

Metro Louisville Health Department - a variety of health resources in our community, including prevention programs and specialty clinics.

Clinics - a list of medical and dental clinics operated by the Metro Louisville Health Department.

Mayor's Healthy Hometown - promoting a healthy lifestyle for all Metro Louisville residents.

Diabetes- outpatient educational services available in the Louisville area to people with diabetes, their family members, and significant others.

Norton Healthcare No Cost/Low Cost Mammograms and Pap Smear Exam Calendar

Community-Based Dental Partnership at The University of Louisville School of Dentistry

Through federally funded Ryan White grants, the U of L School of Dentistry is able to provide dental care to HIV/AIDS patients who have no other means of payment. Care is available at these locations: the U of L School of Dentistry and the U of L Ambulatory Care Building, the Hardin County Community Clinic at Elizabethtown Community College, and the Dixie Metro Clinic on Dixie Highway. Call (502) 852-1267.

Metro Louisville HIV Resources - Louisville AIDS Resource Center (PDF)

Wings Clinic - part of the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center, the largest provider of HIV care in Kentucky. It is a federally funded outpatient medical clinic for HIV+ persons, that provides 100% access to comprehensive medical care and 0% disparity in the quality of care provided regardless of disability, social background, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, marital status, national origin, age, sexual orientation or ability to pay. Care is based on a sliding fee basis. If you have questions about WINGS or HIV medical services, please call (502) 561-8844. Dept. of Family & Community Medicine, 530 South Jackson Street, Louisville KY 40292. Dr. Karen Krigger & Dr. Anna Huang.

HIV Antibody Test Sites

Jefferson County Health Department Specialty STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) Clinic
850 Barret Avenue Suite #301 (between Barret & Breckenridge).
Provides information, STD services, HIV antibody counseling and testing. Confidential testing is offered. Anonymous testing is performed upon request. Walk-ins are accepted. Call clinic (502) 574-6699 for hours of operation.

HIV antibody counseling and testing is also available at:

  • Community Health Center of West Louisville
    (502) 774-6500
  • Dixie Health Center
    (502) 937-7277
  • Neighborhood Place
    (502) 574-6680
  • Family Health Center - Fairdale
    (502) 361-2381
  • Family Health Center - Iroquois
    (502) 366-4747
  • Family Health Center - Portland
    (502) 774-8631
  • Family Health Center - East Broadway
    (502) 583-1981
  • Highview Health Center
    (502) 231-1459
  • Middletown Health Center
    (502) 245-1074
  • Newburg Health Center
    (502) 458-0778
  • St. John's Center for the Homeless
    (502) 568-6972
  • Okolona Location
    (502) 966-5510. Provides HIV antibody counseling and testing.
  • Southern Indiana Testing Site
    (812) 288-2706. Confidential or anonymous testing in Jeffersonville, 8:30 am - 4 pm Monday through Friday. Late appointments upon request if possible.
  • A.S.C.C. AIDS Resource Center
    (502) 574-5490. Office hours: 10:30 am - 4 pm. Monday through Friday with an Education Coordinator available to answer questions regarding HIV transmission, safer sex, HIV related concerns and other STD's (sexually transmitted diseases). Voice mail available for returned calls.

Emotional Health

Seven Counties Services - Provides emergency and outpatient emotional health services.

Emotional health and coping - Provides information that supports emotional health and copings.

Drug and Alcohol Use

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Hot line (502) 454-7613 - Volunteer hotline counselors provide information and resources for the GLBT community and to persons seeking information about safe sex, HIV/AIDS. Operated by the Community Health Trust. Phone counselors available 6 pm - 10 pm.

Color of Health LGBT Health Providers directory - see a list of health professionals in the Louisville Metro area who can assist with LGBT issues.

Psychology Today's website - locate a mental health professional.

Support and Advocacy

University of Louisville, LGBT Center- The office provides support and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students, staff and faculty at UofL.

Common Ground - U of L Student Organization - for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Common

Louisville Youth Group - LYG supports young people by providing resources and a safe social atmosphere for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (GLBTQ), and supporting young people under 21. Call (502) 499-4417 or Email lyg@louisvilleyouthgroup.com.

Talking With Your Healthcare Provider and Making Informed Decisions About Your Health

Ten Things Gay Men Should Discuss With Their Healthcare Providers - Gay Lesbian Medical Association

Ten Things Lesbians Should Discuss With Their Healthcare Provider - Gay Lesbian Medical Association

Ten Things Transgender Persons Should Discuss With Their Health Care Provider - Gay and Lesbian Medical Association

How to talk to your doctor or nurse - Provides emergency and outpatient emotional health services. Download printer-friendly PDF brochure.

Financial Assistance Resources for Your Healthcare Needs

Passport Health Plan – financial resources and provider information for persons eligible for Medicaid local resource.

Kentucky Dental Association - This site has information on how to locate a dentist in your area and how to obtain low cost dentures local resource.

Medicare Preventative Services – Medicare pays for many preventive and screening services. View the list by downloading a PDF

Medicare Coverage Searchable Database – search on the types of services or supplies covered, how often services or supplies are covered, conditions that have to be met, and fees.

U.S. Government Programs - Complete the questionnaire to find out if you are eligible for any government assistance programs.

National Council on Aging Benefits - Find and enroll in federal, state, local and private programs that help pay for prescription drugs, utility bills, meals, health care and other needs.

Eyeglasses/Eye Exams for the uninsured

New Eyes for the Needy

Kentucky Vision Project provides basic eye health and vision care services free of charge. You can request an application by writing to Kentucky Vision Project, P.O. Box 1422, Frankfort, KY 40602 or go to www.kyeyes.org.
Sight for Students - for uninsured children

Hearing Aids for the Uninsured

Hear Now - a national non-profit program that assists deaf and hard-of-hearing persons with limited financial resources. Download application for Hear Now Aid, also available in Spanish.

Low Cost Medications/Co-pay assistance

Wal Mart Generics Program Drug List

Target Generics Program Discounted Drug List

iSafetyNet - Select your prescription drug from a list to see if there is a prescription assistance program available.

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that's right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free. To access the Partnership for Prescription Assistance by phone, you can call toll-free, 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669). Also in Spanish.

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance Co-Pay Program lists independent public non-profit organizations that can provide financial assistance for certain healthcare costs to patients who qualify financially and medically.

RXASSIST.ORG - RxAssist offers a comprehensive database of patient assistance programs run by pharmaceutical companies to provide free medications to people who cannot afford to buy their medicine.

National Information

Center for Disease Control

Gay and Bisexual Men's Health

Lesbian and Bisexual Women's Health

Trangender Person's Health

CDC's Site for LGBT Youth

Men on the Down Low - Center for Disease Control: Questions and Answers

Additional Resources about Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Health

Other Organizations

Resources for LGBT Youth - Varied resources from Advocates for Youth

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Teens - American Academcy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Also available in Spanish.

Immunization Information About Hepatitis - Immunization Action Coalition. Men who have sex with men are one of the at risk groups.

General Health Information - The National Institutes of Health - An excellent source that includes health topics, an encyclopedia, and information on drugs and supplements. Espanol

S.H.E. Circle - A wellness community by and for African American lesbian and bisexual women.

LGBT National Help Center

Out with Cancer

The Trevor Project (Suicide Prevention)

GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality.  Includes information about the ACA as it relates to LGBT, as well as a national directory of healthcare providers who support LGBT equality in health access & awareness.

HIV and AIDS

HIV and AIDS Basics Library

The AIDS Library

High Blood Pressure / Hypertension

Genetics - Consumer-friendly information about the effects of genetic variations on human health.

Emotional Health

Depression in Lesbians - UCSF's Lesbian Health Research Center

Association for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Counseling (ALGBTIC) website - includes much information, including a list of therapists

Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists

Queer Blues: The Lesbian and Gay Guide to Overcoming Depression helpful book by Hall and Hardin.

The Gay and Lesbian National Hotline - 1.888.THE.GLNH (1.888.843.4564) . Provides a safe environment on the phone, email, or via the internet to discuss issues that people can’t talk about anywhere else. Free and confidential peer-counseling, information, and referrals.

  • Maintains a database of information on social and support groups, as well as gay-friendly religious organizations, sports leagues, student groups and more. We also have information on GLBT-friendly businesses including lawyers, doctors and various counseling professionals
  • Also provides a list of resources for Kentucky

Healthfinder Just for You
The just for you page focuses on special health concerns based on gender, age, race, ethnic origin, or role in helping others care for their health.

Links for LGBT Parents

Facts for Families: Children with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Parents. Useful information provided by The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)on the effects of LGBT parenting on kids and raising kids in an LGBT household.

Adoption By Lesbian, Gay And Bisexual Parents: An Overview of Current Law - lengthy overview of current laws for LGBT parents by the National Cener for Lesbian Rights.

Family Pride Coalition - The only national non-profit organization dedicated to equality for LGBT parents and their families.

Fertility Plus - resources on Alternative Insemination and adoption.

Legal Recognition of LGBT Families - An overview of information for same-sex couples.

Our World Too - Provides a brief, easy to read guide for AI and other parenting topics such as adoption and surrogacy, and has a free weekly newsletter on current issues affecting gay parents, the most recent articles/studies about children of LGBT parents, etc.

Human Rights Campaign FamilyNet -  A comprehensive and up-to-date resource for LGBT families, including links to downloadable legal documents.

Gay Parenting Magazine - Gay Parent magazine (GPM) is a 16 - 24 page bound newsprint magazine featuring personal stories of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) parents from across the country and around the world.

National Center for Lesbian Rights - National organization advancing the rights of the LGBT community.

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