Trainings needs of allied health professionals caring for sexual and gender minority adolescents and young adults with cancer: A qualitative analysis.

Abstract

e18532 Background: Little is known about the training needs of allied health professionals who provide reproductive health counseling and other support services to sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescent and young adult (AYA) people with cancer. Methods: A 28-item electronic survey with 4 qualitative items was distributed to 601 allied health professionals who had participated in a training focused on reproductive health needs in AYA people with cancer. Open-ended questions invited respondents to describe personal experiences, reservations, and suggestions for improving SGM AYA cancer care. Using an interpretive description methodology, two investigators independently analyzed qualitative survey responses noting thematic saturation. Together, they refined themes, resolving disagreements with consensus. Interrater reliability was 88%. Results: 321 people participated in the survey and 190 answered open-ended questions. Themes included: 1) an ecosystem exists around patients’ interactions with clinicians and institutions; 2) institutional and individual assumptions result in stigmatization of SGM AYA people with cancer; 3) accommodating patients and providing clinicians with relevant education and experiences are initial steps to decrease stigma; and 4) improving the care for SGM AYA people with cancer may require transformative approaches that incorporate intersectional frameworks and challenge current systems. Conclusions: Improving the quality of care for SGM AYA people with cancer will require systemic and institutional change as well as educational interventions.