Dual Identity Disclosure in Healthcare: Navigating Complex Needs for Inclusive Service Design
Individuals with multiple intersecting identities, such as LGBTIQA+ people with disabilities, face significant challenges when repeatedly disclosing these identities to access services, highlighting a critical gap in current inclusive practices.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · 2020
Key Findings
- 01Participants experienced difficulties in managing and presenting their multiple identities (LGBTIQA+ and disability) to service providers.
- 02The repeated need to 'come out' in various contexts was a complex and layered process that hindered the full expression of needs and experiences.
- 03Community support played a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging, resilience, and capacity for health service navigation and advocacy.
Application
Design takeaway
Design systems and protocols that minimize the need for repeated identity disclosure and proactively acknowledge intersecting identities to create a more welcoming and effective service experience.
How to apply
When designing any service that interacts with diverse user groups, consider how users with multiple, potentially marginalized identities will navigate disclosure and ensure that systems are built to be sensitive to these complexities from the outset.
Project actions
- 01When researching user needs, actively seek out participants with intersecting identities to understand their unique challenges.
- 02Consider how your design might inadvertently create barriers for users with multiple marginalized identities.
- 03Involve users with diverse backgrounds throughout the design process, not just at the beginning.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Utilizes a qualitative approach to gain in-depth understanding of lived experiences.
- +Involves peer researchers who share the identities of the participants, potentially fostering trust and richer data.
- +Addresses a critical and often overlooked intersection of identities.
Limitations
The focus group method might not capture the full range of individual experiences, and the specific context of Australian services may limit direct applicability elsewhere without adaptation.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be enhanced by using standardized interview protocols within focus groups. Validity is strengthened by the use of peer researchers and the focus on lived experiences, though triangulation with other data sources could further improve it.
Think critically
To what extent do current 'inclusive' design frameworks adequately address the complexities of intersecting identities, and what specific design interventions can mitigate the burden of repeated disclosure for users with multiple marginalized identities?
Design Principles
"Design for intersectionality: Acknowledge and accommodate the complex interplay of multiple identities in user experiences."
Understanding the layered disclosure process is crucial for designing services that are genuinely inclusive. Current approaches often fail to acknowledge the cognitive and emotional burden of managing multiple identity disclosures, leading to user frustration and potential disengagement from essential services.
What This Means for Your Design
People who are part of more than one minority group (like being both LGBTIQA+ and having a disability) find it hard when they have to explain all parts of who they are every time they try to get help. Services need to be better at understanding this and making it easier for people to get the support they need without feeling like they have to keep proving who they are.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use this research to justify the need for inclusive design practices that go beyond surface-level accommodations.
- 2.Cite this study when discussing the importance of user research with diverse and intersectional populations.
- 3.Incorporate findings on identity disclosure into your user personas and journey maps.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2020). Experiences of LGBTIQA+ People with Disability in Healthcare and Community Services: Towards Embracing Multiple Identities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218080 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/a8bceefe-90ca-4ce4-8f46-3e8be667ef6d/dual-identity-disclosure-in-healthcare-navigating-complex-needs-for-inclusive-service-design
Paragraph starter
This research underscores the critical need for design practices that acknowledge and accommodate intersectionality. The experiences of LGBTIQA+ individuals with disabilities reveal that current service models often impose a burden of repeated identity disclosure, hindering effective access and support. Therefore, future design projects must prioritize the development of systems and protocols that proactively recognize and integrate multiple identities, thereby fostering genuine inclusivity and user-centered experiences.
Source
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Experiences of LGBTIQA+ People with Disability in Healthcare and Community Services: Towards Embracing Multiple Identities
journal · 2020
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about dual identity disclosure in healthcare: navigating complex needs for inclusive service design?
- Design systems and protocols that minimize the need for repeated identity disclosure and proactively acknowledge intersecting identities to create a more welcoming and effective service experience. Evidence: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2020).
- Why does "Dual Identity Disclosure in Healthcare: Navigating Complex Needs for Inclusive Service Design" matter for design?
- Understanding the layered disclosure process is crucial for designing services that are genuinely inclusive. Current approaches often fail to acknowledge the cognitive and emotional burden of managing multiple identity disclosures, leading to user frustration and potential disengagement from essential services.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Design systems and protocols that minimize the need for repeated identity disclosure and proactively acknowledge intersecting identities to create a more welcoming and effective service experience.
- What were the main findings?
- Participants experienced difficulties in managing and presenting their multiple identities (LGBTIQA+ and disability) to service providers.. The repeated need to 'come out' in various contexts was a complex and layered process that hindered the full expression of needs and experiences.. Community support played a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging, resilience, and capacity for health service navigation and advocacy.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research with Not explicitly stated, but implied to be multiple participants across four focus groups..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2020 journal from International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing any service that interacts with diverse user groups, consider how users with multiple, potentially marginalized identities will navigate disclosure and ensure that systems are built to be sensitive to these complexities from the outset.
- What are the limitations?
- Findings are specific to the context of Victoria, Australia, and may not be directly generalizable to all geographical or cultural settings. The study relies on self-reported experiences, which can be subject to individual interpretation.
- Is there evidence that identity disclosure affects design outcomes?
- LGBTIQA+ individuals with disabilities find it challenging to navigate services because they have to repeatedly explain their intersecting identities, which can be exhausting and prevent them from fully communicating their needs. Strong community connections help them cope with these challenges. Understanding the layer Source: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2020).
- Where does this intersecting identities research apply?
- Healthcare and community services in Victoria, Australia. It sits within user-centred design research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
identity disclosure design research · evidence on identity disclosure · does identity disclosure improve design outcomes · intersecting identities studies for designers · identity disclosure and intersecting identities findings · user-centred design research evidence