Date of Presentation

5-2-2019 12:00 AM

College

School of Osteopathic Medicine

Poster Abstract

As the LGBT community gains more visibility and acceptance, the individuals identifying as LGBTQIA+ have been increasing. Unfortunately for this community, healthcare disparities for LGBT individuals continue. In fact in a national online survey done with LGBTQIA+ physicians, 65% had heard discriminatory comments made towards LGBTQIA+ patients, and 34% witnessed discriminatory care given to LGBTQIA+ patients. (Bonvinci) Rose Chapman, a senior lecturer at Curtin University Nursing School, contributed this discomfort that medical professionals seem to have with LGBTQIA+ families with socioeconomic background such as religious beliefs or familiarity with the topic. (Chapman) Nevertheless, another study published by the Medical Journal “Family Medicine”, credits that this discomfort Medical Professionals have with LGBTQIA+ patients can be combated strongly with increased clinical exposure and awareness. (Sanchez) This is where medical education becomes crucial to the care and development of the LGBTQIA+ Community. With exposure and experience comes the competence to treat patients. By increasing medical education to encompass the LGBTQIA+ Community, we consequently create better access towards these patients.

However, in 2011, over 33% of current US medical schools reported no integration of LGBTQIA+ healthcare in their medical curriculums. And of the schools that did claim competence in this community, they reported a national median of an inadequate 5 hours devoted to LGBTQIA+ related healthcare over a 4 years curriculum. (Bovinci) While it is notably more than in 1991 with over 50% of schools reporting no LGBTQIA+ healthcare, it stops short of what progress this insufficient increase to exposure over the last two decades entails. (Bonvinci) There are currently few studies, if any, addressing the specific areas of LGBTQIA+ healthcare included in medical education, or the success of this inclusion on medical students competence and knowledge.

This project addressed these gaps by asking medical students about LGBTQIA+ healthcare specifics; it is novel because it included specific understanding of topics such as the use of Preventative Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and others such as transition assistance for trans patients, HRT, and other topics as well. We surveyed primarily current medical students and determined their understanding of healthcare needs for LGBTQIA+ patients based on their current medical education. We then used this data to analyze strengths and weaknesses of LGBT healthcare in medical education. With this information we can now target specific areas of LGBTQIA+ healthcare disparities, and integrate these more into medical education and medical school curricula. From here, we can also look into the value this will play for public health disparities across communities.

Keywords

LGBTQ, healthcare disparity, medical education, discrimination

Disciplines

Bioethics and Medical Ethics | Health Services Administration | Health Services Research | Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences | Public Health Education and Promotion

Document Type

Poster

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May 2nd, 12:00 AM

Addressing Lapses in Medical Education in Relation to LGBTQIA+ Healthcare Disparities

As the LGBT community gains more visibility and acceptance, the individuals identifying as LGBTQIA+ have been increasing. Unfortunately for this community, healthcare disparities for LGBT individuals continue. In fact in a national online survey done with LGBTQIA+ physicians, 65% had heard discriminatory comments made towards LGBTQIA+ patients, and 34% witnessed discriminatory care given to LGBTQIA+ patients. (Bonvinci) Rose Chapman, a senior lecturer at Curtin University Nursing School, contributed this discomfort that medical professionals seem to have with LGBTQIA+ families with socioeconomic background such as religious beliefs or familiarity with the topic. (Chapman) Nevertheless, another study published by the Medical Journal “Family Medicine”, credits that this discomfort Medical Professionals have with LGBTQIA+ patients can be combated strongly with increased clinical exposure and awareness. (Sanchez) This is where medical education becomes crucial to the care and development of the LGBTQIA+ Community. With exposure and experience comes the competence to treat patients. By increasing medical education to encompass the LGBTQIA+ Community, we consequently create better access towards these patients.

However, in 2011, over 33% of current US medical schools reported no integration of LGBTQIA+ healthcare in their medical curriculums. And of the schools that did claim competence in this community, they reported a national median of an inadequate 5 hours devoted to LGBTQIA+ related healthcare over a 4 years curriculum. (Bovinci) While it is notably more than in 1991 with over 50% of schools reporting no LGBTQIA+ healthcare, it stops short of what progress this insufficient increase to exposure over the last two decades entails. (Bonvinci) There are currently few studies, if any, addressing the specific areas of LGBTQIA+ healthcare included in medical education, or the success of this inclusion on medical students competence and knowledge.

This project addressed these gaps by asking medical students about LGBTQIA+ healthcare specifics; it is novel because it included specific understanding of topics such as the use of Preventative Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and others such as transition assistance for trans patients, HRT, and other topics as well. We surveyed primarily current medical students and determined their understanding of healthcare needs for LGBTQIA+ patients based on their current medical education. We then used this data to analyze strengths and weaknesses of LGBT healthcare in medical education. With this information we can now target specific areas of LGBTQIA+ healthcare disparities, and integrate these more into medical education and medical school curricula. From here, we can also look into the value this will play for public health disparities across communities.

 

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