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Survey of Clinical Providers and Allied Health Staff at a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center: Cultural Awareness in the Care of LGBTQ2S + Patients with Cancer

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Abstract

To identify potential gaps in attitudes, knowledge, and practices towards LGBTQ2S + patients with a cancer diagnosis, a survey of clinical providers (CP) and allied health staff (AHS) was conducted to identify areas of improvement and guide development for future education and training. A previously published, validated survey was adapted at the direction of a LGBTQ2S + Patient and Family Advisory Council, and modified to include AHS. The survey was disseminated to all faculty and staff, and was adapted to the participants’ self-identified level of patient interaction/care responsibilities. Subsections consisted of questions related to demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors towards participating in the care of LGBTQ2S + patients. Results were quantified using stratified analysis and an attitude summary measure. Of the 311 respondents, 179 self-identified as CPs and 132 as AHS. There was high agreement in comfort treating or assisting LGBTQ2S + patients by CP and AHS respondents, respectively. CPs possessed significantly higher knowledge regarding LGBTQ2S + health when compared to AHS; however, there remained high percentages of “neutral” and “do not know or prefer not to answer” responses regardless of clinical role. There was high agreement regarding the importance of knowing a patient’s gender identity (GI) and pronouns (CP vs. AHS; 76.9% vs. 73.5% and 89.4% vs. 84.1%, respectively), whereas patient’s sexual orientation and sex assigned at birth (CP vs. AHS; 51.1% vs. 53.5% and 58.6% vs. 62.9%, respectively) were viewed as less important. There was high interest in receiving education regarding the unique needs of LGBTQ2S + patients regardless of clinical role. Stratified analyses of CPs revealed early-career physicians (< 1–5 years from graduation) expressed higher interest in additional education and involvement with LGBTQ2S + -focused trainings when compared to mid- and late-career providers. This is the first study, to our knowledge, assessing the attitudes, knowledge, and practices of CPs and AHS regarding the care of LGBTQ2S + patients with cancer. Overall, there was high comfort treating/assisting LGBTQ2S + patients among CP and AHS respondents, respectively; yet, both groups possessed significant gaps in LGBTQ2S + -focused knowledge.

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Data Availability

The survey is available to replicate in other centers. The aggregate data are available upon request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Drs. Benjamin Neel and Mathew Schabath and Kevin Moore, and the members of the cancer center LGBTQ2S+ Patient and Family Advisory Council for their expert insight, support, and dedication to this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Oncology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Jason D. Domogauer

  2. Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Mia Charifson

  3. Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Megan E. Sutter

  4. NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Megan Haseltine & Rachel Nelson

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Marina Stasenko & Gwendolyn P. Quinn

  6. Department of Medical Oncology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Abraham Chachoua

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  1. Jason D. Domogauer
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Correspondence to Jason D. Domogauer.

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Abraham Chachoua and Gwendolyn P. Quinn share senior authorship.

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Domogauer, J.D., Charifson, M., Sutter, M.E. et al. Survey of Clinical Providers and Allied Health Staff at a National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center: Cultural Awareness in the Care of LGBTQ2S + Patients with Cancer. J Canc Educ 38, 1256–1263 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-022-02257-6

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