An Interactive Module to Enhance Clinical and Non-clinical Communication Skills With LGBTQIA2S+ Patients

Cureus. 2023 Sep 10;15(9):e44999. doi: 10.7759/cureus.44999. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Abstract

The Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, and all others (LGBTQIA2S+) community comprises a diverse array of people who challenge conventional norms regarding sexual orientation and/or gender identity. This group possesses a distinct set of social and cultural principles that necessitate personalized and all-encompassing medical attention. In light of the increase in the number of individuals openly sharing their LGBTQIA2S+ identity and a growing societal openness toward this community, most healthcare providers do not feel prepared with the requisite knowledge and skills to appropriately care for the needs of this community. We describe the development of an educational intervention, the LGBTQIA2S+ Healthcare Module, to address this significant gap in health professions education. It offers current and future clinicians just-in-time training on the language and cultural context to adequately provide patient-centered care to this community.

Keywords: communication training; diversity and inclusion; language and communication; lgbtq+; medical education; queer; training module.

Publication types

  • Editorial