Reducing Gender Binarism in Primary Care through Gender Diversity Education

Abstract

Primary care providers rarely receive formal educational content on gender diversity. However, as gender diverse persons compose close to 1.5 million individuals in the United States population, primary care providers must thoroughly understand gender diverse populations and the systems that marginalize their care. The purpose of this quasi-experimental research was to determine if educational sessions on gender diversity increased knowledge and positively affected attitudes regarding gender diversity in staff members at a network of 4 federally qualified health care centers in Northern Vermont. Two educational sessions totaling 90 minutes occurred over four months consisting of didactic content, case study work, and a discussion panel with a gender diverse community member. Outcomes were measured pre, post, and one month post education through administration of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Development of Clinical Skills Scale (LGBT-DOCCS) to gauge changes in knowledge and the Gender Attitudes Scale (Transphobia scale) to measure changes in attitude. Friedman analysis showed a statistically significant decrease in transphobia from implementation to one month after intervention completion, χ2(2,n=20) = 6.92, p = .031. While gains were noted across both total and subscale LGBT-DOCCS measures, they did not rise to the level of statistical significance, likely due to the underpowered sample size. This study may impact the provision of more equitable care for gender diverse individuals, foster gender diverse patient retention, and reduce costs associated with individuals who defer primary care.