The invisibility of Black and Latina women in sexual health care: shifting from biological individualism to intersectionality

Abstract

Black and Latinx women have long endured racist healthcare practices and policies that influence their sexual health outcomes. Despite having increased health care access, Black and Latina women continue to have higher rates of sexually transmitted infections compared to their white counterparts. We utilised Critical Race Theory to examine the myriad ways in which Black and Latina women and their unmet needs may be invisible to healthcare providers and to better understand the compounding factors that may affect Black and Latina women’s engagement with sexual health services. Eighteen individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare providers, administrators and policy advocates working to address sexual health needs of Black and Latina women in California. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data were analysed using an inductive thematic approach. Two primary themes and subthemes were developed during our analysis. Within the healthcare system there is a lack of recognition of (1) intersectional identities of Black and Latina women, including intersectional oppressions and systemic vulnerabilities; and (2) structural barriers that mediate their sexual health treatment engagement. Recognition of intersectional identities and addressing structural barriers can potentially improve the sexual health of Black and Latina women and support efforts to address disparities in sexual health care.

Keywords:

• Women of colour
• sexual health
• intersectionality
• structural barriers
• critical race theory

Acknowledgements

We thank study participants for their narratives. We also thank Crystal D. Crawford, Kelly Gluckman and our WC4WC research partners.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the California Wellness Foundation under grant number 2017-257 and the California HIV/AIDS Research Program, Southern California HIV/AIDS Research Policy Center under grant numbers HD15-LA-061 and H21PC3466. Raiza Beltran is supported by the National Institutes of Health under award number T32MH080634. The content is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.