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Attitudes, Behavior, and Comfort of Emergency Medicine Residents in Caring for LGBT Patients: What Do We Know?
AEM Educ Train. 2019 Apr; 3(2):129-135.AE

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Although lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients are ubiquitous in emergency medicine (EM), little education is provided to EM physicians on LGBT health care needs and disparities. There is also limited information on EM physician behavior, comfort, and attitudes toward LGBT patients. The objective of this study was to assess EM residents behavior, comfort, and attitudes in LGBT health.

METHODS

An anonymous survey link was sent to EM programs via the Council of Residency Director listserv. The primary outcome of the 24-item descriptive survey was the self-reported comfort levels and self-reported practice in LGBT health care. Secondary outcomes included individual comfort toward LGBT colleagues and patients who are LGBT, and the frequency of colleagues making discriminatory statements toward LGBT patients and staff in the emergency department setting. Associations between personal and program demographics and survey responses were also examined.

RESULTS

There were 319 responses The majority of respondents were male (63.4%), Caucasian (69.1%), and heterosexual (92.4%). A sizeable minority of respondents felt histories and physical examinations were more challenging for lesbian, gay, or bisexual patients (24.6%) and more so for transgender patients (42.6%). Most residents do not ask patients to identify sexual orientation when presenting with abdominal or genital complaints (63%). Discriminatory LGBT comments were reported from both fellow residents (16.6%) and faculty (10%). A total of 2.5% of respondents were uncomfortable with other LGBT physicians, and 6% did not agree that LGBT patients deserve the same quality care as others.

CONCLUSION

A number of residents find caring for LGBT patients more challenging than heterosexual patients. Even with professed comfort with LGBT health care, most residents report taking incomplete sexual histories that may affect patient care. Attitudes toward LGBT patients are mainly, but not completely, positive in this cohort.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Department of Emergency Medicine Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Richmond VA.Department of Emergency Medicine Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center New York NY.Department of Emergency Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA.Loyola University Chicago Chicago IL.Department of Medicine Section of Emergency Medicine Louisiana State University New Orleans LA.

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

31008424

Citation

Moll, Joel, et al. "Attitudes, Behavior, and Comfort of Emergency Medicine Residents in Caring for LGBT Patients: what Do We Know?" AEM Education and Training, vol. 3, no. 2, 2019, pp. 129-135.
Moll J, Krieger P, Heron SL, et al. Attitudes, Behavior, and Comfort of Emergency Medicine Residents in Caring for LGBT Patients: What Do We Know? AEM Educ Train. 2019;3(2):129-135.
Moll, J., Krieger, P., Heron, S. L., Joyce, C., & Moreno-Walton, L. (2019). Attitudes, Behavior, and Comfort of Emergency Medicine Residents in Caring for LGBT Patients: What Do We Know? AEM Education and Training, 3(2), 129-135. https://doi.org/10.1002/aet2.10318
Moll J, et al. Attitudes, Behavior, and Comfort of Emergency Medicine Residents in Caring for LGBT Patients: what Do We Know. AEM Educ Train. 2019;3(2):129-135. PubMed PMID: 31008424.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Attitudes, Behavior, and Comfort of Emergency Medicine Residents in Caring for LGBT Patients: What Do We Know? AU - Moll,Joel, AU - Krieger,Paul, AU - Heron,Sheryl L, AU - Joyce,Cara, AU - Moreno-Walton,Lisa, Y1 - 2019/01/21/ PY - 2018/09/13/received PY - 2018/11/29/revised PY - 2018/12/06/accepted PY - 2019/4/23/entrez PY - 2019/4/23/pubmed PY - 2019/4/23/medline SP - 129 EP - 135 JF - AEM education and training JO - AEM Educ Train VL - 3 IS - 2 N2 - BACKGROUND: Although lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients are ubiquitous in emergency medicine (EM), little education is provided to EM physicians on LGBT health care needs and disparities. There is also limited information on EM physician behavior, comfort, and attitudes toward LGBT patients. The objective of this study was to assess EM residents behavior, comfort, and attitudes in LGBT health. METHODS: An anonymous survey link was sent to EM programs via the Council of Residency Director listserv. The primary outcome of the 24-item descriptive survey was the self-reported comfort levels and self-reported practice in LGBT health care. Secondary outcomes included individual comfort toward LGBT colleagues and patients who are LGBT, and the frequency of colleagues making discriminatory statements toward LGBT patients and staff in the emergency department setting. Associations between personal and program demographics and survey responses were also examined. RESULTS: There were 319 responses The majority of respondents were male (63.4%), Caucasian (69.1%), and heterosexual (92.4%). A sizeable minority of respondents felt histories and physical examinations were more challenging for lesbian, gay, or bisexual patients (24.6%) and more so for transgender patients (42.6%). Most residents do not ask patients to identify sexual orientation when presenting with abdominal or genital complaints (63%). Discriminatory LGBT comments were reported from both fellow residents (16.6%) and faculty (10%). A total of 2.5% of respondents were uncomfortable with other LGBT physicians, and 6% did not agree that LGBT patients deserve the same quality care as others. CONCLUSION: A number of residents find caring for LGBT patients more challenging than heterosexual patients. Even with professed comfort with LGBT health care, most residents report taking incomplete sexual histories that may affect patient care. Attitudes toward LGBT patients are mainly, but not completely, positive in this cohort. SN - 2472-5390 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/31008424/Attitudes_Behavior_and_Comfort_of_Emergency_Medicine_Residents_in_Caring_for_LGBT_Patients:_What_Do_We_Know DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -
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