Abstract PO-056: Pronouns matter: The development of a provider training to create inclusive and respectful environments for LGBTQI+ patients
Authors: Serrano Mayra , Metz Jenifer , Fernandez Alejandro 
Published: December 2020

There are about 1.3 million individuals that identify as LGBT in California with 57% in Southern California. LGBTQI+ individuals have unique healthcare needs, but access to this care necessitates patient disclosure of identity. Unfortunately, there are significant barriers to disclosing one’s identity, including fear of provider discrimination, belief that health and identity are unrelated, internalized stigma or simply a lack of provider inquiry. Specifically, these individuals are at higher risk for developing cancer, and in some cases risk later stage cancer diagnoses due to financial and structural barriers, knowledge, and beliefs. Lack of LGBTQI+ culturally competent providers and staff is a significant structural barrier for accessing care and receiving quality care for many LGBTQI+ individuals. This is particularly evident with individuals that are trans and nonbinary. Therefore, there is a growing need for LGBTQI+ cultural competency trainings in order to create welcoming and respectful healthcare environments for LGBTQI+ individuals. The project aimed to develop a 1- hour training presentation to increase awareness about the importance of gender identity, pronouns and using inclusive language to build more welcoming healthcare environments for members of the LGBTQI+ community. The training was developed using a co-design process in collaboration with trans & nonbinary individuals, and well as representatives from several agencies who serve the LGBTQI+ community.

The presentation aims to train participants to: 1) Gain fundamental understanding about why pronouns matter; 2) Learn how to use gender pronouns; and 3) Become more comfortable using gender inclusive language. A 12-question survey was developed to evaluate the delivery and content of the training. The training was implemented with 3 large healthcare organizations in California. A total of 294 staff members participated in the training. Regarding the design of the presentation, most (97%) reported that the presentation was organized in a clear and logical way, 93% thought the visual design was clear, and 90% thought the presentation was interactive and engaging. After the presentation, most (86%) reported that they had a better understanding of why pronouns matter; 72% know how to use proper gender pronouns; and 76% are more comfortable using gender inclusive language.

Most participants (90%) would recommend the presentation to others. Preliminary findings suggest that the presentation is appealing and engaging. Results also suggest that the presentation increased participants’ understanding of why pronouns matter, learned how to use gender pronouns, and were more comfortable using gender inclusive language. This training has the potential to increase the cultural competency of providers in order to create a more welcoming and respectful environment for LGBTQI+ patients, leading to less stigma and increased the quality of care. Future plans include wider dissemination to healthcare providers and community-based staff.

Citation Format: Mayra Serrano, Jenifer Metz, Alejandro Fernandez. Pronouns matter: The development of a provider training to create inclusive and respectful environments for LGBTQI+ patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-056.