LGBTQ HealthLink

E. Shor, MPH

Wisconsin Population Health Service Fellow through UW-Madison

Blogging from the LGBTI Health Research Conference

Hello everyone,

It has been quite a while since I blogged here, so I wanted to quick re-introduce myself to the community. My name is E. Shor (most just call me Shor though) and I have been involved with the Network for a few years as a blogger and avid LGBTQ health nerd. I love following and being a part of the Network and infusing the things that I have learned while working, at home. Currently my work at home is through the University of Wisconsin Population Health Service Fellowship, a two year post-masters or post-doctoral fellowship meant to build public health leadership in the workforce. Most of my work and projects center on building capacity and knowledge around LGBTQ health. I work in communities that would benefit from needs assessments in trans* and gender non-conforming communities. I analyze existing data to highlight LGBTQ experiences. I work on local LGBTQ tobacco control community readiness. I do work force competency on LGBTQ health issues and cultural competency. You know…that type of stuff!  When I am not at work, I am riding my bike around, making jam and picking berries, playing with my kittens, doing pottery, traveling around and camping, and playing nerdy board games with my partner. 

Today was the opening evening of the LGBTI Health Research Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. It is lovely and green here! The conference opened with a lovely reception at Metro Health today, where the folks leading the way at Metro Health described some of the ways they are taking steps towards improving LGBT health access and how they are changing the climate here in Ohio. One of the first things they mentioned was the inclusion of partner benefits for employees of Metro Health as a concerted effort to demonstrate their commitment to all of their employees. They also highlighted medical providers and social support practitioners who have come together to create an LGBTQI working group to improve direct care to patients. All of the things I heard were wonderful notes to start the conversation about LGBTQI research and where the research agenda is headed in the future.