McBain Sacha A, Garneau-Fournier Jade, Turchik Jessica A
Palo Alto University, CA, USA.
VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA, USA.
J Interpers Violence. 2022 Mar;37(5-6):NP2868-NP2890. doi: 10.1177/0886260520944536. Epub 2020 Aug 1.
Previous research has demonstrated that most veterans who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST) have provider gender preferences. Although provider gender mismatch, defined as not receiving a provider of the gender of one's preference, may deter veterans from disclosing MST or seeking MST-related care, there is little research that has examined this issue. The current study aimed to explore how provider gender mismatch is related to veterans' comfort with providers, perception of their providers' competency, and their endorsement of perceived provider barriers when communicating about MST. The current study was conducted as part of a larger national survey of veterans' barriers to accessing MST-related care. Participants in the study were identified using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) administrative data. Criteria for inclusion in the overall study were being enrolled in VHA health care, having screened positive for MST, and having received at least one VHA outpatient service. A subset of eligible veterans who had endorsed MST, reported a provider gender preference, and endorsed discussing MST with a VHA provider ( = 1,591) were included in the current study. Results demonstrated that provider gender preference mismatch was associated with greater endorsement of perceived provider barriers, less comfort with providers, and lower perceived provider competency in women; and greater perceived provider barriers and less comfort with providers among men. The study demonstrates that provider gender preferences may affect care for veterans who have experienced MST, and that the impact may differ for men and women. These findings may be used to improve patient-centered care and inform future research regarding veterans' provider gender preferences.
先前的研究表明，大多数经历过军事性创伤（MST）的退伍军人都有医疗服务提供者的性别偏好。尽管医疗服务提供者性别不匹配（定义为未得到自己偏好性别的医疗服务提供者）可能会阻碍退伍军人披露军事性创伤或寻求与军事性创伤相关的护理，但很少有研究探讨过这个问题。当前的研究旨在探讨医疗服务提供者性别不匹配如何与退伍军人对医疗服务提供者的舒适度、对其医疗服务提供者能力的认知以及他们在交流军事性创伤时对所感知到的医疗服务提供者障碍的认可程度相关。当前的研究是作为一项关于退伍军人获得与军事性创伤相关护理的障碍的全国性大型调查的一部分进行的。该研究的参与者是使用退伍军人健康管理局（VHA）的行政数据确定的。纳入整个研究的标准是参加VHA医疗保健、军事性创伤筛查呈阳性且至少接受过一次VHA门诊服务。当前的研究纳入了一部分符合条件的退伍军人，他们认可军事性创伤、报告了医疗服务提供者性别偏好并认可与VHA医疗服务提供者讨论军事性创伤（n = 1591）。结果表明，医疗服务提供者性别偏好不匹配与对所感知到的医疗服务提供者障碍的更高认可、对医疗服务提供者的舒适度降低以及女性对医疗服务提供者能力的较低认知相关；以及男性中更高的所感知到的医疗服务提供者障碍和对医疗服务提供者的舒适度降低。该研究表明，医疗服务提供者性别偏好可能会影响经历过军事性创伤的退伍军人的护理，而且这种影响可能因男性和女性而异。这些发现可用于改善以患者为中心的护理，并为未来关于退伍军人医疗服务提供者性别偏好的研究提供参考。
