Development and Evaluation of an LGBT+ Education Programme for Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Teams

Overview

Journal Palliat Care Soc Pract

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialty Critical Care

Date 2021 Oct 28

PMID 34708209

Citations 4

Authors

Claude Chidiac

Kate Grayson

Kathryn Almack

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Despite national policy recommendations to enhance healthcare access for LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and those who do not identify as cisgender heterosexual) people, education on LGBT+ issues and needs is still lacking in health and social care curricula. Most of the available resources are focused on primary care, mental health, and sexual health, with little consideration to broader LGBT+ health issues and needs. The limited available educational programmes pertaining to LGBT+ individuals outside the context of sexual or mental health have mainly focused on cancer care or older adults.

Aim: To support palliative care interdisciplinary teams to provide LGBT+ affirmative care for people receiving and needing palliative and end-of-life care.

Methods: A 1½-h workshop was developed and evaluated using Kotter's eight-step process for leading change. Across four hospices, 145 health and social professionals participated in the training. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent groups pre-post-test design was used to measure self-reported levels of knowledge, confidence, and comfort with issues, and needs and terminology related to LGBT+ and palliative care.

Results: There was a significant increase in the reported levels of knowledge, confidence, and comfort with issues, needs, and terminology related to LGBT+ and palliative care after attending the training. Most participants reported that they would be interested in further training, that the training is useful for their practice, and that they would recommend it to colleagues.

Conclusion: The project illustrates the importance of such programmes and recommends that such educational work is situated alongside wider cultural change to embed LGBT+-inclusive approaches within palliative and end-of-life care services.

Citing Articles

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Applied patient-level palliative care interventions designed to meet the needs of sexual and gender minorities: A scoping review and qualitative content analysis of how to support sexual and gender minorities at end of life.

Robinson L, Matamoros C Palliat Med. 2023; 38(1):69-84.

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Editorial: Introducing the special collection on 'Palliative Care for LGBTQ2S+ Individuals and Families'.

Acquaviva K, Marshall D Palliat Care Soc Pract. 2022; 16:26323524211073409.

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