Disclosure of Sexual Orientation in Primary Health Care: Gay Men's Stories of Coming Out

Access to primary health care is important for maintenance of health and well-being and the timely treatment of illness. Primary health carers address many dimensions of people’s health and social welfare. The literature suggests that experiences of primary health care might be problematic for gay men. For many reasons, it can be difficult for gay men to discuss their sexual orientation with primary providers. The health literature offers little guidance about how gay men experience primary health care. The health care literature about gay men is dominated by studies about the transfer and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, and there is little exploration of patient-practitioner relationships in the context of primary health care. This study is a narrative inquiry into three gay men’s experiences of “coming out,” or disclosure of their sexual orientation in primary health care. Three narrative accounts form the basis for the development and discussion of three narrative threads: Disclosure and Connections, Opportunities Taken and Lost, and Making Maps for Connections. Recommendations for nursing practice, research, and policy development are made.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Nursing (MN)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2018

Author dc:creator

• Cashen, Daniel Steven

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Estefan, Andrew

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Venturato, Lorraine
• Dela Cruz, Añiela Marie
• Ginn, Carla S.
• Then, Karen L.

• disclosure
• Coming Out
• Primary Care
• Narrative

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/33056

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/108703