Individuals who practice consensual non-monogamy (CNM) face a variety of challenges
in the healthcare system, from administrative barriers to negative comments to overt
discrimination to refusal of care.
It is estimated that up to 20% of adults in Canada and the United States have engaged in
CNM during their lifetime, and public awareness of CNM is increasing (Haupert et al., 2017).
However, the provision of pertinent education for healthcare providers (HCPs), as well as
research into this type of relationship, remains rudimentary at best and this has resulted in a lack
of knowledge, understanding, and general sensitivity to the healthcare needs of these individuals.
This lack of awareness, in combination with a general dearth of sexual health training for HCPs,
and a societal privileging of monogamy, most often results in negative healthcare experiences for
those individuals who practice CNM.
This review explores existing research into the healthcare experiences of adults who
practice CNM, and it offers suggestions for enabling a better understanding of CNM by HCPs.
