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A study by CUNY SPH researchers suggests that telehealth remains an important and valued care option for sexual and gender minority adults, particularly for those seeking privacy, convenience, and affirming care.
The qualitative study, led by CUNY SPH doctoral grad Jeffrey Wilhite as part of his dissertation research, interviewed 21 telehealth users in 2024 to better understand their experiences more than four years after the pandemic-driven expansion of virtual care. Participants said telehealth was especially useful for medication management, mental health support, and sexual health services, and many described it as a way to discuss sensitive issues more comfortably with clinicians.
“I’m much more willing to reach out to people and ask questions over the phone or on video. It’s just a lot easier to access,” one participant said.
The research team, which included fellow alumni Alexa D’Angelo, Anna Raykov Annabelle Abbadessa, and Maryam Roosta, along with faculty Karmen Williams and Christian Grov, found that psychological safety was a recurring theme throughout the interviews. Participants said telehealth could reduce stigma, increase discretion, and help them feel more comfortable sharing health concerns, especially when they were connected with LGBTQ+-affirming providers.
At the same time, the study identified persistent barriers, including long wait times, scheduling challenges, insurance-related limits, and inconsistent continuity of care. Some participants also said it could be difficult to find providers who were knowledgeable about sexual and gender minority health needs.
“The findings point to several opportunities for improving telehealth services, including stronger provider directories, better scheduling systems, more targeted outreach, and marketing that reflects the diversity of the communities being served,” says Dr. Wilhite. “They also start to provide some new insight into reasons for utilization, and point us toward some new areas of study like the role of psychological safety in health utilization.”
