Ensuring That Marginalized Young People Feel Welcome, Understood, and Empowered in Health Services: A Qualitative Examination of the Service Needs of Aboriginal LGBTQA plus Young People

A lack of appropriate care and discrimination in healthcare settings likely compounds the existing risks to mental health and well-being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, and asexual (LGBTQA+) young people. The current study contributes findings from Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people's perspectives on their health service needs and preferences. Data consists of qualitative interviews and focus groups with N = 14 Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people aged 14-25 years in Boorloo (Perth), Western Australia. The data was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Analysis identified three major themes: (1) Unmet need for "whole self" care, (2) Communicating to young people that they will be welcome, safe, and cared for, and (3) Engaging communities to address structural inequalities. These findings shed light on the almost complete lack of Aboriginal LGBTQA+ youth-focused care available and point to the importance of health workers and, especially, mental health professionals understanding the broader sociohistorical context that impacts young people's well-being. Ultimately, while many Aboriginal LGBTQA+ young people have positive experiences of receiving care for their health and well-being, there persists a feeling of being unable to wholly exist in healthcare settings.