The Lack of LGBTQIA Cultural Competency in Physical Therapy Education

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) populations are more susceptible to overall poorer health and greater healthcare disparities than heterosexuals. LGBTQIA communities have higher rates of substance and tobacco abuse, sexually transmitted infections, certain types of cancer, and mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, and suicide. For equitable, culturally competent care to be provided to the LGBTQIA communities, healthcare workers, including physical therapists, need to be equipped with the knowledge to perform skillful, patient-centered examinations, evaluations, and procedural interventions. This training begins during a student's entry-level education, and it is imperative for programs to incorporate LGBTQIA topics into psychosocial courses to elevate the level of cultural competence in new physical therapy graduates. Although the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) provides some directives on covering LGBTQIA topics, there are limited data that this information is explicitly covered in entry-level curriculums or that faculty have sufficient training. Without definitive pedagogical principles or specific, evidence-based curriculums highlighted in the literature, future research is needed to determine what material is conferred related to cultural competence and the LGBTQIA population so that educators can decide if current content meets the requirements of CAPTE and the American Physical Therapy Association.