Joel Moll1, Paul Krieger2, Sheryl L Heron3, Cara Joyce4, Lisa Moreno-Walton5. 1. Department of Emergency Medicine Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine Richmond VA. 2. Department of Emergency Medicine Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center New York NY. 3. Department of Emergency Medicine Emory University Atlanta GA. 4. Loyola University Chicago Chicago IL. 5. Department of Medicine Section of Emergency Medicine Louisiana State University New Orleans LA.
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.
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: Rebecca Smith-Coggins; Catherine A Marco; Jill M Baren; Michael S Beeson; Michael L Carius; Francis L Counselman; Barry N Heller; Terry Kowalenko; Robert L Muelleman; Lewis S Nelson; Robert P Wahl; Robert C Korte; Kevin B Joldersma Journal: Ann Emerg Med Date: 2015-05 Impact factor: 5.721
Authors: Francis L Counselman; Kavita Babu; Mary Ann Edens; Diane L Gorgas; Cherri Hobgood; Catherine A Marco; Eric Katz; Kevin Rodgers; Leonard A Stallings; Michael C Wadman; Michael S Beeson; Julia N Keehbauch Journal: J Emerg Med Date: 2017-03-25 Impact factor: 1.484
Authors: Joel Moll; Paul Krieger; Lisa Moreno-Walton; Benjamin Lee; Ellen Slaven; Thea James; Dustin Hill; Susan Podolsky; Theodore Corbin; Sheryl L Heron Journal: Acad Emerg Med Date: 2014-05 Impact factor: 3.451
Authors: Juno Obedin-Maliver; Elizabeth S Goldsmith; Leslie Stewart; William White; Eric Tran; Stephanie Brenman; Maggie Wells; David M Fetterman; Gabriel Garcia; Mitchell R Lunn Journal: JAMA Date: 2011-09-07 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Bisan A Salhi; Jennifer W Tsai; Jeffrey Druck; Jacqueline Ward-Gaines; Melissa H White; Bernard L Lopez Journal: AEM Educ Train Date: 2019-12-19
Authors: Daniel N Thompson-Blum; Todd A Coleman; Natalie E Phillips; Sean Richardson; Robb Travers; Simon Coulombe; Ciann Wilson; Michael Woodford; Ruth Cameron; Charlie Davis Journal: Transgend Health Date: 2021-12-02
Authors: Joel Moll; David Vennard; Rachel Noto; Timothy Moran; Paul Krieger; Lisa Moreno-Walton; Sheryl L Heron Journal: AEM Educ Train Date: 2021-04-01