Key Terms
- androgyny
- no distinction between male and female
- asexual
- people who experience little to no sexual attraction to any gender
- assigned sex
- category, typically male or female, that is assigned to an individual at birth based on physical and biological characteristics, such as genitalia and chromosomes
- bisexual/pansexual
- attracted to more than one gender or any gender
- diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
- commitment to recognizing and embracing differences, ensuring fairness, and fostering a sense of belonging for all individuals in order to create a more equitable and enriched nursing profession and health-care system
- exploitation
- different ways in which traffickers financially benefit from their victims’ labor or sexual services
- flattening the curve
- public health strategy aimed at slowing the spread of a contagious disease, like COVID-19, to ensure that the health-care system can manage the capacity
- force
- physical or psychological violence used to control victims, including threats, abuse, or confinement
- gender identity
- individual’s deeply held sense of their gender, which may or may not align with the sex assigned to them at birth
- heterosexual
- attracted to the opposite sex or gender
- homeless
- lacking a stable, safe, and adequate place to live
- housing instability
- state of uncertainty or vulnerability in one’s housing situation, characterized by frequent moves, risk of eviction, difficulty paying rent or mortgage, or a lack of stable, secure housing
- human trafficking
- illegal trade of people, typically for forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation, using coercion, fraud, or force
- marginalization
- exclusion, discrimination, and denial of rights
- minority stress
- unique stressors and adverse mental health outcomes experienced by individuals in marginalized and stigmatized groups
- motivational interviewing (MI)
- client-centered approach that aims to enhance an individual’s intrinsic motivation to change their behavior
- nonbinary
- people, also known as genderqueer, genderfluid, or agender, who do not exclusively identify as male or female and may have a gender identity that falls outside the traditional binary understanding of gender
- queer
- term that can encompass various nonheteronormative sexual orientations and gender identities
- recovery housing
- supportive and substance-free living environment that offers individuals recovering from substance use disorders a structured and safe living space
- secondary trauma
- where health-care providers experience symptoms similar to those of trauma survivors, including intrusive thoughts, nightmares, and hypervigilance
- serious mental illness (SMI)
- mental, behavioral, or emotional disorders that significantly impair an individual’s ability to carry out major life activities and engage in social, occupational, or educational roles
- third gender
- separate gender apart from male or female
- Transgender
- individuals who have a gender identity that differs from their assigned sex
- two spirit
- incorporating qualities of both binary genders, sometimes used by Indigenous people
- unsheltered
- individuals experiencing homelessness who lack any form of shelter, such as living on the streets, in cars, or in other places not meant for human habitation
- vicarious trauma
- emotional toll that exposure to the trauma of others can have on health-care providers
- vulnerability
- ability to be harmed or influenced
- wellness coaching
- collaborating with the client to set achievable goals related to their mental and emotional well-being