Training Health Center Staff in the Provision of Culturally Responsive Care for Sexually and Gender-Diverse Patients: Impacts on Patient Satisfaction.

Sexually and gender-diverse (SGD) patients experience disparities in health outcomes that are partly shaped by discrimination and mistreatment in healthcare spaces. We evaluated patient perspectives before and after educational interventions for health center (HC) staff. Twelve HCs were included in a study evaluating interventions aimed at improving care for SGD patients. In 2018, 148 patients were surveyed before the interventions, and in 2020, 100 patients were surveyed postintervention. Statistical analyses assessed the associations of patient satisfaction with sexually diverse identity and transgender or gender-diverse (TGD) identity and compared across response years (2018 vs 2020). Respondents from 12 HCs were included in the 2018 survey and respondents from 11 HCs were included in the 2020 survey. The 2020 survey cohort was more racially diverse and included fewer TGD respondents. Sexually diverse identity was associated with higher odds of providers discussing sexual orientation, while TGD identities were associated with higher odds of providers discussing gender identity. Postintervention respondents had higher odds of reporting awareness of HC nondiscrimination policies and lower odds of reporting inappropriate provider assumptions about sexual behavior based on sexual orientation. Patient surveys revealed positive but often nonsignificant changes in patient satisfaction with SGD-specific care after the interventions. Larger sample sizes may help elucidate the full benefits of SGD educational interventions for medical staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]