Health Care Stereotype Threat and Sexual and Gender Minority Well-Being.

This article examines the role of health care stereotype threat (HCST)—the fear among sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) that medical providers judge or treat them based on negative stereotypes—in contributing to health disparities within this population. Using harmonized national probability samples from the Generations and TransPop studies, the research finds that HCST is independently associated with poorer self-rated health and greater psychological distress among SGMs, even when accounting for everyday discrimination and stigma. The study further reveals that transgender individuals experience more severe negative health outcomes related to HCST compared to gay men, who generally show fewer adverse effects. These findings highlight the importance of addressing HCST in health care settings through targeted interventions, including provider training and structural changes, to reduce health disparities among diverse SGM groups.