Substance Use Treatment and Providers for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations in a Texas-Mexico Border City
Abstract
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) is an umbrella term that refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender-diverse populations. These populations face challenges and barriers when accessing health services that further lead to negative health outcomes and an increase in health disparities. For example, rates of substance use are higher among SGM communities compared to heterosexual/cisgender people. Risk factors for substance use problems include lack of social support, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), rejection and discrimination, and solitary drug use. Various efforts in Texas and the U.S.-Mexico border region have been made to close the gap in health inequalities. In El Paso, Texas, the Purple Pages of El Paso (PPoEP), were established in 2017 as an online resource to connect SGM communities and providers in the Paso del Norte region with high-quality, culturally sensitive health care and social services. The goals for this project were to: (1) expand the PPoEP; (2) update the PPoEP; (3) improve the delivery of mental health/substance use treatment services through informational videos; and (4) identify substance use intervention funding opportunities. As a result, 10 new providers were added and the information of 21 providers was updated to the PPoEP. The “Safe and Welcoming Environments” video had 12 views, the “Correct Terminology” video had eight views, and the “Health Disparities” video had eight views within the first 10 days of sharing with target providers. Three substance use intervention grant opportunities were identified.
Subject Area
Public health|LGBTQ studies
Recommended Citation
Barraza, Diana Laura, "Substance Use Treatment and Providers for Sexual and Gender Minority Populations in a Texas-Mexico Border City" (2022). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI30242491.
https://scholarworks.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI30242491