LGBT inclusivity in health assessment textbooks

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people make up 4% of the adult population in the United States; however, it is unclear if there is sufficient material in nursing textbooks for students to learn how to provide care for sexual minority populations. A content analysis of two commonly used health assessment textbooks was completed to identify material that prepared nurses for LGBT patient interactions. Topics such as gender neutrality, same-sex partners, and other terms referring to LGBT persons were considered LGBT content. Campinha-Bacote's The Process of Cultural Competence in the Delivery of Healthcare was used as the theoretical framework to assess the textbooks' content on five constructs: awareness, knowledge, skill, encounters, and desire to learn. Eleven pages in one text and 14 in the other had at least one line that addressed LGBT health assessment. Investigators found content related to the constructs of awareness, knowledge, and skill in both textbooks. In all cases, the content was limited in depth; both textbooks lacked exemplars and application of LGBT-specific health content. Inclusion of this information in textbooks or other learning resources is needed to enhance nurses' cultural knowledge and skill to improve health care outcomes within this vulnerable population.