Does cultural competency training matter? A national study of anti-gay bias among cancer care professionals.

Abstract

This study examined whether higher levels of self-reported cultural competency training were associated with less anti-gay bias among a cancer healthcare provider sample (n = 404) recruited in January 2017. A factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to examine anti-gay bias across professional role, sex and level of cultural competency training using the Index of Attitudes on Homosexuality (IAH). Females, F(1, 396) = 8.861, p = 0.003, η_p² = 0.022, and those who reported higher levels of cultural training, F(1, 396) = 6.136, p = 0.014, η_p² = 0.015 had lower mean IAH composite scores than men or those with lower levels of training, respectively. Females reported statistically significantly lower mean scores than males for Avoidance, F(1, 396) = 14.105, p < 0.001, η_p² = 0.034. However, those with more cultural training, reported statistically significantly lower mean scores than those with less training for the Approach, F(1, 396) = 5.402, p = 0.021, η_p² = 0.013, and Acceptance, F(1, 396) = 6.699, p = 0.010, η_p² = 0.017 factors, regardless of sex assigned at birth. Findings suggest that cultural competency training may moderate some aspects of anti-gay bias. Cultural competency training may be one important strategy to improve care for sexual minority patients.