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Keywords

Clinical Practice in Athletic Training

Abstract

Context: LGBTQIA+ athletic trainers and patients encounter difficulties in their workplaces and sport communities. Several medical professional associations have produced statements claiming their commitment to fostering an patient-centered environment for healthcare for LGBTQIA+ patients. To date, there has been little research on the factors that impact perceived knowledge of and attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community among healthcare providers. With more information on what factors impact perceived knowledge of and attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community, better interventions for improving perceived knowledge and attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community could be created. The purpose of this study was to determine differences between sexual orientations regarding perceived knowledge of and attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community among athletic trainers. Methods: An electronic survey was emailed to all NCAA athletic trainers whose email address was available on their institution’s online staff directory. Recipients were asked to send the invitation to other credentialed athletic trainers they knew. A total of 291 (years of experience = 11± 9 years, 195 females, 91 males, 5 non-binary/third gender, 179 heterosexual, 112 LGBTQIA+) participants opened and completed the survey. Following the demographics section, participants completed the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Knowledge and Attitude Scale (LGB-KAS). Independent samples t-tests were performed to determine differences between heterosexuals and members of the LGBTQIA+ community regarding perceived knowledge, comfort interacting with members, support for civil rights, religious conflicts, and internal affirmation related to the LGBTQIA+ community. Cohen’s-d tests were performed to determine effect sizes. Results: LGBTQIA+ athletic trainers reported significantly higher perceived knowledge of the LGBTQIA+ community (t(289) = -11.379, p < .001), comfort interacting with LGBTQIA+ individuals (t(289) = 3.303, p = .001), support for civil rights(t(289) = -5.037, p < .001), and internal affirmation related to the LGBTQIA+ community (t(289) = - 13.723, p < .001) compared to heterosexual athletic trainers. LGBTQIA+ athletic trainers reported significantly lower religious conflicts related to the LGBTQIA+ community (t(289) = 4.686, p < .001) compared to heterosexual athletic trainers. Cohen’s d effect size testing revealed sexual orientation had a small effect on comfort interacting with members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Sexual orientation had moderate effects on religious conflicts related to the LGBTQIA+ community, and support for civil rights for the LGBTQIA+ community. Sexual orientation had a large effect on perceived knowledge of the LGBTQIA+ community, and internal affirmation related to the LGBTQIA+ community. Conclusion: In this study, LGBTQIA+ athletic trainers had higher perceived knowledge of, and more positive attitudes toward, the LGBTQIA+ community compared to heterosexual athletic trainers. Future research should examine other factors influencing attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community. This information will assist with the creation of interventions to improve knowledge of and attitudes toward the LGBTQIA+ community among healthcare providers.

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