Back to Search
Start Over
Physiotherapy students' education on, exposure to, and attitudes and beliefs about providing care for LGBTQIA+ patients: a cross-sectional study in the UK.
- Source :
-
European Journal of Physiotherapy . Oct2023, Vol. 25 Issue 5, p243-251. 9p. - Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual or related identities (LGBTQIA+) experience barriers when accessing healthcare, including physiotherapy. Little is known about physiotherapy students' attitudes and beliefs about caring for LGBTQIA+ individuals and what education is provided. This study aims to identify the attitudes, knowledge and practice of physiotherapy students when caring for LGBTQIA+ patients in the UK. A cross-sectional online survey of physiotherapy students. Independent sample t-tests and an analysis of variance were carried out to analyse between-group differences in heteronormativity scores (modified Heteronormative Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (HABS)) and respondents' attitudes and beliefs about caring for LGBTQIA+ individuals. 107 eligible participants completed the questionnaire with 23% identifying as LGBTQIA + and 41% indicating close personal exposure to LGBTQIA+ people. Clinical placement experience and experience working with LGBTQIA+ people in other professional roles was reported by 16%, 27% respectively. Educational exposure (with a mean (standard deviation (SD)) of 2.7 (2.9) h) to the LGBTQIA + community was reported by 17% of participants. The overall mean (SD) modified-HABS score was 2.65 (1.20). Participants with greater personal and informal educational exposure to LGBTQIA+ topics demonstrated less heteronormative attitudes and beliefs, greater awareness and more inclusive attitudes towards caring for LGBTQIA+ individuals compared to those without. Physiotherapy students have generally positive attitudes towards providing care for LGBTQIA+ individuals. Education is inconsistent and physiotherapy students lack awareness of LGBTQIA+ specific healthcare needs. These findings suggest that more focus is needed on LGBTQIA+ healthcare within physiotherapy education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *PHYSICAL therapy students
*PROFESSIONS
*ANALYSIS of variance
*ASEXUALITY (Human sexuality)
*CROSS-sectional method
*ATTITUDES toward sex
*SURVEYS
*T-test (Statistics)
*PHYSICAL therapy education
*LGBTQ+ people
*DESCRIPTIVE statistics
*PATIENT care
*STUDENT attitudes
*STATISTICAL sampling
*DATA analysis software
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 21679169
- Volume :
- 25
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- European Journal of Physiotherapy
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 173435454
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/21679169.2022.2080252