Indian Journal of Private Psychiatry

Register      Login

VOLUME 14 , ISSUE 2 ( July-December, 2020 ) > List of Articles

Original Article

Evaluation of Knowledge and Attitude toward LGBT Community, and the Effect of Education on Knowledge and Attitude in Medical Undergraduates

Lubna Mohammedrafik Nerli, Viral Ratanprakash Shah, Deepak Sachidanand Tiwari, Vishal Kanaiyalal Patel, Disha Alkeshbhai Vasavada, Rangdon Dor Sangma

Citation Information : Nerli LM, Shah VR, Tiwari DS, Patel VK, Vasavada DA, Sangma RD. Evaluation of Knowledge and Attitude toward LGBT Community, and the Effect of Education on Knowledge and Attitude in Medical Undergraduates. Ind J Priv Psychiatry 2020; 14 (2):51-56.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10067-0060

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 31-07-2021

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2020; The Author(s).


Abstract

Background: The people of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community are underprivileged in healthcare settings. Knowledge and awareness about LGBT among the medical undergraduates would eventually fulfill the gap of healthcare services. Aim: It is to evaluate the knowledge and attitude toward the LGBT community and the effect of education on knowledge and attitude. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, interventional study of first-year medical students over a period of three days. The “Survey on California State University, Northridge (CSUN) attitude towards LGBT” was used as a survey tool. Statistical test: Descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test were used for the analysis of data. Results: Out of 51 students, 32 (62.74%) were raised in a religious household. The results also showed that as compared to males, females were more religious in terms of frequency of visiting religious places and practicing religious preaching. The majority percentage of students disagrees with the traditional gender roles without any significant gender differences. It was also found that as compared to females, more percentage of males are uncomfortable in interacting with LGBT people. The results show that the students have better knowledge about LGBT people; however, the change from “neutral” and “agreement” to “disagreement” is not much significant. The students have a positive attitude toward the LGBT people, but there is no significant change in the attitude postintervention. Conclusion: This study concludes that though there is positive knowledge and attitude toward LGBT people among medical undergraduates, they are not comfortable in interacting with them.


HTML PDF Share
  1. Bailey JM, Vasey PL, Diamond LM, et al. Sexual orientation, controversy, and science. Psychol Sci Public Interest 2016;17(2):45–101. DOI: 10.1177/1529100616637616.
  2. Drescher J, Stein TS, Byne WM. Homosexuality, gay and lesbian identities and homosexual behavior. In: Sadock BJ, Sadock VA, editors. Kaplan & Sadock's comprehensive textbook of psychiatry. 9th ed. Vol. 1. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009, p. 2060
  3. Section 377: Here is everything you need to know [Internet]. The Economic Times. [cited 2020 May 18]. Available at: https://m.economictimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/sc-delivers-historic-verdict-heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-section-377/articleshow/65698429.cms
  4. Hudson WW, Ricketts WA. A strategy for the measurement of homophobia. J Homosex 2020;5(4):357–372. DOI: 10.1300/J082v05n04_02.
  5. Meyer IH. Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations: conceptual issues and research evidence. Psychol Bull 2003;129(5):674–697. DOI: 10.1037/0033-2909.129.5.674.
  6. Sandfort TG, de Graaf R, Bijl RV, Schnabel P. Same-sex sexual behavior and psychiatric disorders: findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS). Arch Gen Psychiatry 2001;58(1):85–91. DOI: 10.1001/archpsyc.58.1.85.
  7. Arnarsson A, Sveinbjornsdottir S, Thorsteinsson EB, et al. Suicidal risk and sexual orientation in adolescence: a population-based study in Iceland. Scand J Public Health 2015;43(5):497–505. DOI: 10.1177/1403494815585402.
  8. Siever MD. Sexual orientation and gender as factors in socioculturally acquired vulnerability to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. J Consult Clin Psychol 1994;62(2):252–260. DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.62.2.252.
  9. Kenagy GP. Transgender health: findings from two needs assessment studies in Philadelphia. Health Soc Work 2005;30(1):19–26. DOI: 10.1093/hsw/30.1.19.
  10. Makadon HJ. Improving health care for the lesbian and gay communities. N Engl J Med 2006;354(9):895–897. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp058259.
  11. Chakrapani V, Babu P, Ebenezer T. Hijras in sex work face discrimination in the Indian health-care system. 3.
  12. Kar A, Mukherjee S, Ventriglio A, et al. Attitude of Indian medical students towards homosexuality. East Asian Arch Psychiatry. 2018;28(2):59–63. DOI: 10.12809/eaap181728.
  13. Survey on CSUN attitudes toward LGBT issues attitudes - Google Search [Internet]. [cited 2020 Jul 22]. Available at: https://www.google.com/search?q=SURVEY+ ON+CSUN+ATTITUDES+TOWARD+ LGBT+ISSUES+Attitudes & oq=SURVEY + ON + CSUN+ ATTITUDES +TO WARD+LGBT+ISSUES+ Attitudes & aqs=chrome.. 69i57.1791j0j15& sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8.
  14. Chi X, Hawk ST. Attitudes toward same-sex attraction and behavior among Chinese university students: tendencies, correlates, and gender differences. Front Psychol 2016;7:1592. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01592.
  15. Kelley L, Chou C, Dibble S, et al. A critical intervention in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health: knowledge and attitude outcomes among second-year medical students. Teach Learn Med 2008;20:248–253. DOI: 10.1080/10401330802199567.
  16. Sathyanarayana Rao TS, Rao GP, et al. Gay rights, psychiatric fraternity, and India. Indian J Psychiatry 2016;58(3):241–243. DOI: 10.4103/0019-5545.192006.
  17. Webster B, Cheung P. Measuring Hong Kong undergraduate students’ attitudes towards transpeople. Sex Roles 2008;59:670–683. DOI: 10.1007/s11199-008-9462-y.
  18. Tesar CM, Rovi SL. Survey of curriculum on homosexuality/bisexuality in departments of family medicine. Fam Med 1998;30(4):283–287. PMID: 9568499.
  19. Hinchliff S, Gott M, Galena E. “I daresay I might find it embarrassing”: general practitioners’ perspectives on discussing sexual health issues with lesbian and gay patients. Health Soc Care Commun 2005;13(4):345–353. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2005.00566.x.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.