LGBTQIA+ Health Special Interest Group Is Improving Visibility In Headache Medicine
The LGBTQIA+ Health Special Interest Group (SIG) advocates for patients and providers who identify as LGBTQIA+, as sexual and gender minorities have a higher incidence of headache disorders compared to the general population. Co-chairs Mark Barber, MD, MPH, and Eric Kaiser, MD, PhD, also seek to create a safe space and community for like-minded AHS members. Hear directly from Dr. Barber as he shares the SIG’s recent accomplishments and initiatives:
Increasing Visibility and Improving Care
To increase visibility of the unique health and safety concerns associated with LGBTQIA+ individuals experiencing headache disorders, the SIG has led several initiatives. These included updating conference badges to include pronouns, a series of webinars to educate providers on creating a welcoming environment for patients who identify with gender and sexual minorities, and several co-sponsored conference precourses.
Most recently, the LGBTQIA+ Health SIG held Precourse 1 at the 67th Annual Scientific Meeting in Minneapolis, MN. The precourse “Advancing the Safety of LGBTQIA+ Patients in Headache Clinical Care” contained several presentations and discussions that explored the impact of stigma, trauma and violence, drug-drug interactions among sexual and gender minority patients, and special safety considerations for pediatric populations. The presentation came out of feedback from Society members who noticed their patients expressing significant safety concerns.
Motivated By Personal Experience and Community
For Dr. Barber, bringing attention to the headache needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals was informed by his personal experience as a gay man and a provider who experiences migraines. “I have a really, really special interest in this particular SIG,” says Dr. Barber. “My colleague, Dr. Kaiser, and I, who founded this SIG, think that having a space for this within the American Headache Society is super important.”
The SIG also supports AHS members who identify as LGBTQIA+ and focuses on creating a welcoming and affirming space within the Society, which adds to its community-oriented culture. “When I was a neurology resident trying to figure out what I was going to be doing with my life… it wasn't until I went to an American Headache Society meeting that I realized that this was my community,” mentions Dr. Barber. “There is something about the culture, and there's something about the closeness of the headache community that I think makes it especially unique. When I come to the American Headache Society, I find my people.”
Looking Forward
The LGBTQIA+ Health SIG has several priorities for the near future, including creating formal practice recommendations on how to care for patients who identify as sexual and gender minorities and what specific issues may require attention in those encounters. Another priority is adding more webinar content with CME credit.
A long-term goal for Dr. Barber is to develop research and increase epidemiologic data to understand how these populations are affected. “There are some smaller studies that are out there that give us some information suggesting that there is a higher incidence of primary headache disorders in these populations,” says Dr. Barber. “But we just don't have the data to support future research and future projects.”
The LGBTQIA+ Health SIG is always looking for opportunities to build community and broaden the tent to get more people involved in its mission. AHS members are encouraged to join them at social outings during the Annual Scientific Meeting or the upcoming Scottsdale Headache Symposium in December, and other SIGs are invited to collaborate with them on overlapping topics.