Accessing Directories: No One-Size-Fits-All
When wanting to access care or support, there can be so many worries that come up with finding the right professional for you: Are they informed about different experiences and identities (trauma, LGBTQ+, disabilities)? Will I be judged because of my identity? What is the difference between their professional labels and how they can support me?
Resources, such as directories, can help clarify your search. Directories are websites or databases that present organized information about a specific group of people, businesses, services, resources, locations, or topics, allowing you to search them to find what you need. Although directories can make your search for resources easier, they can also come with barriers that may make it harder to access this information. When you reach a resource or website, what’s the difference between opening a page and being able to use it meaningfully?
In this article, we will look at an LGBTQ+ healthcare directory, and see what works well and what could be improved to improve accessibility. LGBTQ+ healthcare can include a variety of aspects, including primary care, substance use and recovery, therapy, gender affirming care, HIV prevention and care, and more! With information like this, access can look different depending on who is searching. Access is much more than going to a website; it can also refer to your ability to complete what you came there to do, as well as whether you can realistically do it with respect to your technology, time, energy, knowledge, and circumstances.
For example, imagine two people using the same directory. One person may be comfortable navigating websites, familiar with healthcare terminology, and have the time and concentration to compare several providers. Another person may be searching while overwhelmed, struggling to concentrate, using a phone with limited internet access, or trying to understand unfamiliar professional titles.
The information on the website may not have changed, but the experience of accessing it can be very different! Consider whether or not you can find the information you need, understand it, apply it to your circumstances, and take the next step of reaching out. The FIND, UNDERSTAND, APPLY, and ACT framework may help you assess a source’s accessibility.
FIND | Can you find information relevant to you and your experiences? |
UNDERSTAND | Can you understand/make sense of the information provided? |
APPLY | How can this information apply to your situation? |
ACT | Do you know what to do next based on what you have learned? |
Looking at this LGBTQ+ healthcare directory from this perspective, does this resource only provide information, or does it create a path to further process what is being shared so you can make an informed choice? Let’s explore the accessibility of this website!
Strengths/Helpful Pathways to Access
Finding the directory
The purpose and intended audience are relatively clear.
The directory connects people looking for LGBTQ+ healthcare with different types of healthcare professionals and services.
Search Functionality
Users can customize their search based on ZIP code and type of care.
This can reduce the amount of information someone has to sort through.
Search Filters
The availability of telehealth/virtual-care filtering can create another pathway for people who experience transportation barriers, have difficulty consistently leaving home, live farther away from providers, or prefer receiving care remotely.
Space for User Feedback
The prompt asking, “Did you find what you are looking for on this website?” creates an opportunity for users to communicate whether the resource met their needs.
This is especially interesting because it recognizes that the user's experience can tell us something about how accessible the resource actually is.
Provided Information about Different Approaches
Identifies and defines broad care approaches and concepts (Trauma-Informed Care, Sex Positive, Racial Equity, Informed Consent, Weight Inclusive, and Harm Reduction)
Providing these terms can help users identify approaches that may be important to them when considering a provider.
Weaknesses/Barriers to Access
Unclear Professional Titles/Terminology
The directory includes credentials such as LCSW, MSW, LMFT, LE, MD, MPH, LPCC, and MA, but does not necessarily explain the differences between these credentials.
For someone unfamiliar with healthcare professions, recognizing a credential does not necessarily mean understanding what that professional can provide.
This creates a gap between finding a provider and understanding what that provider's role may be.
Limited and Exclusive Educational Resources
The directory provides “Top 10” and “101” resources, including information about what to discuss with a healthcare provider.
There may be an opportunity to provide more in-depth information that reflects the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals.
People may be looking for more than general advice and are trying to understand what navigating care could actually feel like.
Organization
Currently lists separate sections vertically.
A more clearly separated horizontal navigation system with labeled sections at the top could potentially make it easier for users to understand where different types of information are located.
Could Improve Search Prompting
Currently there is a prefilled question in the search bar that reads, “What do you need?” One potential alternative would be to include a display of available terms to search, or more room to explore what is needed. Someone may know that they need help, but not know whether they are looking for a therapist, social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist, or another type of professional.
Looking at these lists, the directory has many tools for the FIND portion, making it easier to find information about LGBTQ+ healthcare needs. However, the UNDERSTAND and APPLY portions have barriers to understanding care approaches, provider credentials, and medical terms, as well as gaps in clarity when comparing providers and focusing on diverse lived experiences.
Although this directory provides useful information for finding LGBTQ+ healthcare providers, there are opportunities to make the information easier to utilize. For one person, searching by ZIP code and type of care may make the directory easy to navigate. For another, unfamiliar credentials may create additional work before they can determine which providers are relevant. Someone else may understand the information but still face transportation, financial, or scheduling barriers when trying to act on what they found.
Access is not one-size-fits-all, and while a directory may not remove every barrier, it helps you identify what barriers exist and what information, support, or preparation you need to get the most out of the resources available to you.
For more information, see other Alternative Access Counseling Blogs: Therapist Directories
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