Kenneth H. Mayer ^1*, Judith B. Bradford ², Harvey J. Makadon ³, Ron Stall ⁴, Hilary Goldhammer ⁵, Stewart Landers ⁶

¹ The Fenway Institute; Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island
² Virginia Commonwealth University; The Fenway Institute
³ Harvard Medical International; The Fenway Institute; Harvard Medical School
⁴ University of Pittsburgh
⁵ The Fenway Institute
⁶ John Snow Inc.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: kenneth_mayer{at}brown.edu.

	Abstract

We describe the emergence of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health as a key area of study and practice for clinicians and public health professionals. We discuss the specific needs of LGBT populations on the basis of the most recent epidemiological and clinical investigations, methods for defining and measuring LGBT populations, and the barriers they face in obtaining appropriate care and services. We then discuss how clinicians and public health professionals can improve research methods, clinical outcomes, and service delivery for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.

Key Words: Health Care Facilities/Services, Health Education, Health Policy, Access to Care, Quality of Care, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Persons