| General LGBTQIA+ |
"Sexual and Gender Minorities"[mesh] "Sexuality"[mesh] "Homosexuality"[mesh] "Gender Identity"[mesh] |
| Gay |
"Homosexuality, Male"[mesh] |
| Lesbian |
"Homosexuality, Female"[mesh] |
| Bisexual | "Bisexuality"[mesh] |
|
Transgender |
"Transsexualism"[mesh] "Transgender Persons"[mesh] "Gender-Nonconforming Persons"[mesh] "Health Services for Transgender Persons"[mesh] "Gender-Affirming Care"[mesh] |
| Intersex |
"Intersex Persons"[mesh] "Disorders of Sex Development"[mesh] |
*This is not a comprehensive list of search terms - it is a starting point. Always use the subject headings that are appropriate for your research question and your population
| General LGBTQIA+ |
"Sexual and Gender Minorities"/ Sexuality/ Homosexuality/ Gender Identity/ |
| Gay | Homosexuality, Male/ |
| Lesbian | Homosexuality, Female/ |
| Bisexual | Bisexuality/ |
| Transgender |
Transsexualism/ Transgender Persons/ Gender-Nonconforming Persons/ "Health Services for Transgender Persons"/ Gender-Affirming Care/ |
| Intersex |
Intersex Persons/ "Disorders of Sex Development"/ |
*This is not a comprehensive list of search terms - it is a starting point. Always use the subject headings that are appropriate for your research question and your population
| General LGBTQIA+ |
LGBTQIA+ People/ LGBT People/ Sexual Orientation/ Homosexuality/ "Sexual and Gender Minority"/ |
| Gay |
Homosexual Male/ Male Homosexuality/ |
| Lesbian |
Lesbianism/ Homosexual Female/ |
| Bisexual |
Bisexuality/ Bisexual Female/ Bisexual Male/ |
| Transgender |
Transgender/ Transgenderism/ Transgender and Gender Nonbinary/ Female to Male Transgender/ Male to Female Transgender/ Gender Nonbinary/ Gender Identity/ |
| Intersex |
Intersex/ Hermaphroditism/ Disorder of Sex Development/ |
| Asexual | Asexual People/ |
*This is not a comprehensive list of search terms - it is a starting point. Always use the subject headings that are appropriate for your research question and your population
| General LGBTQIA+ |
(MH "LGBTQ+ Persons") (MH "Black LGBTQ+ Persons") (MH "Sexual and Gender Minorities") (MH "Gay Persons") (MH "Queer Persons") (MH "Homosexuality") |
| Gay | (MH "Gay Men") |
| Lesbian | (MH "Lesbians") |
| Bisexual | (MH "Bisexual Persons") |
| Transgender |
(MH "Transgender Persons") (MH "Trans Men") (MH "Trans Women") (MH "Transsexual Persons") (MH "Gender-Nonconforming Persons") (MH "Nonbinary Persons") (MH "Hijras") |
| Intersex |
(MH "Intersex Persons") (MH "Intersexuality") (MH "Disorders of Sex Development") (MH "Pseudointersexuality") |
| Asexual |
(MH "Asexuality") (MH "Asexual Persons") |
*This is not a comprehensive list of search terms - it is a starting point. Always use the subject headings that are appropriate for your research question and your population
| General LGBTQIA+ |
LGBTQ/ Homosexuality/ Sexual Identity/ Sexual Orientation/ Sexual Minority Groups/ |
| Gay | Male Homosexuality/ |
| Lesbian |
Lesbianism/ |
| Bisexual | Bisexuality/ |
| Transgender |
Transgender/ Transsexualism/ "Transgender (Attitudes Toward)"/ Gender Affirming Care/ Gender Dysphoria/ Gender Expression/ Gender Identity/ Gender Nonbinary/ Gender Nonconforming/ Gender Reassignment/ Gender Transition/ |
| Intersex |
Intersex/ Hermaphroditism/ Endocrine Sexual Disorders/ |
| Asexual | Asexuality/ |
| Pansexual | Pansexuality/ |
*This is not a comprehensive list of search terms - it is a starting point. Always use the subject headings that are appropriate for your research question and your population
Search hedges are carefully constructed search strategies designed to efficiently retrieve relevant literature on a specific topic from databases. These expertly crafted combinations of keywords, subject headings, and Boolean operators serve as powerful tools for comprehensive literature searching, particularly in fields requiring systematic reviews or evidence-based practice. The following search hedges were developed by the LGBTQ+ librarian and are not validated. If you are using or adapting one of these search hedges, please remember to cite them appropriately.
Lee, J. G., Ylioja, T., & Lackey, M. (2016). Identifying Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Search Terminology: A Systematic Review of Health Systematic Reviews. PloS one, 11(5), e0156210. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156210
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