Experiences of Stigma During Sexual Healthcare Visits: A Qualitative Study of Non-Monogamous Women

Access to health care services is critical to both personal health outcomes and health equity within a community. While non-monogamous behavior is widespread, stigma surrounding consensual non-monogamy can create barriers to health care access. This research outlines the experiences of non-monogamous women during sexual health care visits, how class acts to modify those experiences, the barriers to health care access that they encounter, and the adaptive strategies they employ. The sample for this research was 23 consensually non-monogamous women. Participants were contacted through online support groups, message boards, and snowball sampling. In-depth interviews about their sexual health care experiences were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes related to the intersection of non-monogamy and health care experiences. The interactions between health care professionals and non-monogamous women, whether or not those women disclose their non-monogamous status, were often perceived as stigmatizing. Increased class status, both of participant and of provider, was described as increasing experiences of stigma and barriers to care. The information provided by this research may be used to better understand, and thus improve, the barriers health care access experienced by non-monogamous women. Suggestions given by the participants for improving their health care access and decreasing experiences of stigma are included.

Author dc:creator

• McCrosky, Rachael

Contributors dc:contributor

• Carter, Shannon

• Sex work
• sexual health
• non monogamy
• polyamory
• healthcare access
• Sociology

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

CFE0005662

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:stars.library.ucf.edu:etd-2149