LGBTQ+ Inclusive Palliative Care in the Context of COVID-19:Pragmatic Recommendations for Clinicians

Rosa, William E.; Shook, Alic; Acquaviva, Kimberly D.

As Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to impact the seriously ill and their families on a global scale, considerations given to marginalized groups amid the pandemic is essential to ensure the provision of high-quality, dignified care. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender-nonconforming, queer and/or questioning (LGBTQ+) identified persons are particularly vulnerable to health inequities across settings, including palliative care and at end-of-life. There is a crucial gap in the literature pertaining to palliative care during COVID-19. We aim to fill this gap by providing essential health inequity and social support background pertaining to LGBTQ+ persons and practical recommendations for immediate implementation that support inclusive and respectful care for these populations. Employing these recommendations is a pragmatic pathway to promote trust, transparency, patient and family engagement, and value concordant care amid the health system strain caused by COVID-19.