Developing Standards for Cultural Competency Training for Health Care Providers to Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual Persons: Consensus Recommendations from a National Panel

Authors

Mandi L. Pratt-Chapman, Department of Medicine, GW Cancer Center, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Kristen Eckstrand, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Amorie Robinson, The Ruth Ellis Center, Highland Park, Michigan, USA.
Lauren B. Beach, Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Charles Kamen, Department of Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.
Alex S. Keuroghlian, National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, The Fenway Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Scott Cook, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Asa Radix, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, New York, New York, USA.
Markus P. Bidell, Department of Psychiatry, Hunter College, CUNY, New York, New York, USA.
Daniel Bruner, Whitman-Walker Health, Whitman-Walker Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Liz Margolies, National LGBT Cancer Network, New York, New York, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

4-19-2022

Journal

LGBT health

DOI

10.1089/lgbt.2021.0464

Keywords

LGBTQIA+; consensus-based recommendations; cultural competency standards; health care and social service; training and education

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and/or asexual and other sexual and gender diverse persons (LGBTQIA+ or SGD persons) experience barriers to equitable health care. The purpose of this article is to describe a collaborative process that resulted in core cultural competency recommendations addressing training for those who provide health care and/or social services to LGBTQIA+ patients. In 2018 and 2019, Whitman-Walker Health, a Federally Qualified Community Health Center in Washington, DC, and the National LGBT Cancer Network purposively selected leaders of community clinics and community-based organizations, cultural competency trainers, and clinicians and researchers with expertise in SGD health with diverse lived experiences to develop consensus-based cultural competency recommendations. Recommendations were developed through a synthesis of peer-reviewed studies, publicly accessible curricula, and evaluations of SGD cultural competency trainings; two in-person convenings; and iterative feedback from diverse stakeholders. Five anchoring recommendations emerged: (1) know your audience; (2) develop and fine-tune the curriculum; (3) employ both adult and transformational learning theories; (4) choose multiple effective trainers; and (5) evaluate impact of training. These recommendations promote an ongoing process of individual and organizational improvement and a stance of humility rather than competence to be mastered. By setting core cultural competency standards for all persons involved in health care and social services, these recommendations complement existing clinical competency recommendations to advance SGD health equity.

APA Citation

Pratt-Chapman, Mandi L.; Eckstrand, Kristen; Robinson, Amorie; Beach, Lauren B.; Kamen, Charles; Keuroghlian, Alex S.; Cook, Scott; Radix, Asa; Bidell, Markus P.; Bruner, Daniel; and Margolies, Liz, "Developing Standards for Cultural Competency Training for Health Care Providers to Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual Persons: Consensus Recommendations from a National Panel" (2022). GW Authored Works. Paper 779.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/779

Department

Medicine