Gay and Bisexual Men's Clinic

The Northwestern Medicine Gay and Bisexual Men's Urology clinic is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at providing specialized urological care to patients who were assigned male at birth and identify as gay or bisexual. This clinic is the first of its kind in the United States and aims to address the unique healthcare needs of this specific population. The program was created after extensive research conducted by Dr. Channa A. Amarasekera, who identified a significant gap in the quality of care being provided to gay and bisexual individuals.

The Northwestern Medicine Gay and Bisexual Men's Urology Program offers a range of services designed to address the specific needs of this population. These services include routine check-ups, diagnostic tests, and specialized treatments for conditions such as prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction. Patients are also provided with counseling and emotional support to help them cope with the unique challenges they may face as members of the LGBTQ+ community. One of the key goals of the program is to create a safe and welcoming environment for patients.

The healthcare professionals working in the clinic undergo extensive training to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide compassionate and competent care to LGBTQ+ patients. The clinic prioritizes the use of gender-affirming language and practices, which can help to reduce feelings of stigma and increase patient satisfaction. Patients who choose to participate in the Northwestern Medicine Gay and Bisexual Men's Urology Program will benefit from the expertise of a team of healthcare professionals who are committed to providing the highest quality care.

During your care journey, your team of specialists may include:

Urologists
Internal medicine specialists
Behavioral health specialists
Sexual medicine specialists
Pelvic floor physical therapists
Endocrinologists
Geriatric specialists

Gay and Bisexual Men’s Urologic Health Resource

General Health Resources for Patients

Fenway Guide on Coming Out to Providers: https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/publication/dadt-lqbtq-youth/
Other resources can be found through The Fenway Institute’s National LGBTQ+ Health Education Center: https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/

Prostate Cancer

NM Videos:

Northwestern Medicine Guide: https://www.nm.org/-/media/northwestern/resources/care-areas/urology/northwestern-medicine-prostate-cancer-in-gay-and-bisexual-men-brochure.pdf
Prostate Cancer UK Guide: https://shop.prostatecanceruk.org//our-publications/all-publications/prostate-cancer-tests-and-treatment-guide-for-gay-and-bisexual-men?limit=100
PCF Article on PCa as a GBM Patient: https://www.pcf.org/c/for-gay-and-bisexual-men-what-you-need-to-know-about-treatment-for-localized-prostate-cancer/

For Providers

Prostate Cancer in Gay and Bisexual Men: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOEUD4EHSCw
Fenway Guide on Providing Inclusive Care: https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/publication/learning-guide/
Article by Simon Rosser on Provider Competency related to Prostate Cancer in Sexual Minorities: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34430423/

Community Resources for Gay and Bisexual Men:

Prostate Cancer Support Group: https://zerocancer.org/get-support/lgbtq-community-prostate-cancer/ contact: terri@zerocancer.org
Malecare Support Network: https://malecare.org/gay-prostate-cancer-and-doctors/prostate-cancer-group-for-gay-men/
Social Group for Mature Gay/Bisexual Men: https://theprimetimersww.com/ (Chicago Chapter: https://prime24.wildapricot.org/)
Reach out to our program at rahul.prabhu@northwestern.edu for questions on Northwestern Medicine’s Prostate Cancer support network programs for gay and bisexual men.

Prostate Cancer in Gay and Bisexual Men: The Intersectional Racial-Sexual Minority Experience

The first ever webinar on the unique challenges faced by gay and bisexual men when it comes to prostate cancer was recently hosted by Dr. Channa Amarasekera, director of the Gay and Bisexual Men's Urology Program, and Dr. Adam Murphy, Assistant Professor of Urology and Preventive Medicine. The webinar brought together prostate cancer experts, patient advocates and health disparity experts to discuss how the intersection of racial and sexual minority status impacts the experience of African American Gay and Bisexual Men with prostate cancer care. The webinar explored the compounding effect of these factors and how they play a critical role in the experience of prostate cancer care for this community. This groundbreaking webinar highlighted the unique challenges faced by gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer and provided a platform to explore strategies to address these challenges in the healthcare system.