Improving the LGBTQ2S+ cultural competency of healthcare trainees : advancing health professional education
Lee, Matthew (Dalhousie University)
Tasa-Vinyals, Elisabet (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut)
Gahagan, Jacqueline (Dalhousie University)

Date:	2021
Abstract:	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, and Two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+) populations experience worse health outcomes compared to age-matched heterosexual and cisgender peers. Health professionals' deficient knowledge and negative attitudes can contribute to these inequities. Healthcare trainees report insufficient LGBTQS2+ cultural competence training. In this prospective, mixed-methods pre-post design, Atlantic Canadian health students were tested on knowledge, attitudes and self-reported behaviours towards LGBTQ2S+ populations in healthcare settings. Assessment included psychometric measurements and clinical cases involving normative and non-normative fictional patients. Participants were randomised to intervention or control groups. The intervention consisted of three training sessions lead by LGBTQ2S+ experts and elders from the community. The control group continued with usual training. Full assessment was repeated after training. We also held focus group discussions with students and faculty. The intervention group significantly improved attitudes toward and knowledge of LGBTQ2S+ populations and changed relevant aspects of their performance in the simulated clinical situations. Focus groups identified key gaps in current local training. Integrating specific training related to LGBTQ2S+ health within health professions programs is an important step toward improving these populations' accessibility to a competent, exhaustive and nurturing healthcare. Additional research on innovative means to expand and broaden the scope of our training is warranted.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, i la comunicació pública de l'obra, sempre que no sigui amb finalitats comercials, i sempre que es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. No es permet la creació d'obres derivades.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Published in:	Canadian medical education journal, Vol. 12 (february 2021) , p. e7-e20, ISSN 1923-1202

DOI: 10.36834/cmej.67870
PMID: 33680227

14 p, 294.6 KB

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