The training needs of general practitioners in the exploration of sexual health matters and providing sexual healthcare to lesbian, gay and bisexual patients

Background: General practitioners (GPs) have been identified as a key resource for people with sexual health concerns. However, research indicates that general practitioners feel unprepared to deal with sexual health, especially with lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) patients. Aim: To identify the tra...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Medical teacher 2013-09, Vol.35 (9), p.752-759
Main Author: Stott, Don Brandon
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bisexuality
Bisexuals
Educational Needs
Family physicians
Female
Focus Groups
General practice
General Practitioners - education
Graduate students
Health behavior
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Needs
Homosexuality, Female
Homosexuality, Male
Homosexuals
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Ireland
Lesbians
LGBTQ studies
Male
Medicine
Needs Assessment
Patients
Physician-Patient Relations
Reproductive Health
Sexual behavior
Sexual health
Sexual Orientation
Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Background: General practitioners (GPs) have been identified as a key resource for people with sexual health concerns. However, research indicates that general practitioners feel unprepared to deal with sexual health, especially with lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) patients. Aim: To identify the training needs of general practitioners in the exploration of sexual health matters and providing sexual healthcare to lesbian, gay and bisexual patients. Methods: Qualitative methodology using topic-guided interviews and focus groups with general practitioners and lesbian, gay, bisexual community members in Ireland. In addition, final year medical students at University College Cork completed a mixed-methods survey. Results: General practitioner participants rarely broached sexual health topics, and were unaware of the sexual orientation of their patients or the specific health needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual patients. Participants identified numerous barriers to the discussion of sexual health. To overcome these barriers, respondents recommended better medical training using a variety of methods to increase awareness of sexual and LGB health issues. Conclusion: General practitioners in Ireland lack awareness of the unique health issues of lesbian, gay and bisexual patients and it is, therefore, essential that medical training programs develop better training curricula in sexual health and LGB health issues.
ISSN:0142-159X
1466-187X
DOI:10.3109/0142159X.2013.801943