Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90110, Thailand.
Songkhla Hospital, Mueang Songkhla District, Songkhla, 90000, Thailand.
BMC Psychol. 2024 Mar 25;12(1):169. doi: 10.1186/s40359-024-01666-0.
This study purposed to analyze perceived attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians and related factors among individuals with psychiatric illnesses in southern Thailand.
From May to July 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted at four psychiatric outpatient clinics in Southern Thailand. The questionnaires utilized were: 1) a demographic information questionnaire, 2) a questionnaire regarding attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians, 3) a questionnaire evaluating individuals' attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians while receiving medical attention, and 4) a patient-doctor relationship questionnaire. All data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the factors associated with perceived attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and linear regressions. The analyses were conducted using the R Foundation for Statistical Computing software, version 4.3.1. Statistical significance was defined as a p-value of less than 0.05.
Among our 542 participants, the mean age was 36.3 ± 14.1 years. The majority were female (64.6%), Buddhist (62.4%), and diagnosed with depression (46.3%). Approximately three-quarters showed a good doctor-patient relationship (74.0%). The median (IQR) score of the perceived attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians was 75 (66, 88). Predominantly, the LGBTQ + physicians were perceived as normal (76.3%) and being a viable part of society (88.7%). Moreover, our participants disagreed with the view that being an LGBTQ + physician was a sin (70.6%) or immoral (68.2%). They felt comfortable during history taking (79.0%), physical examination not involving private parts of the body (72.5%), and management for both medical (78.4%) and psychiatric conditions (81.4%) at the hands of LGBTQ + physicians. However, they reported feeling uncomfortable during history taking involving private matters (6.3%) and the physical examination of private parts (16.4%). Older age, absence of LGBTQ + close relatives/friends, and being a Muslim were associated with lower scores of perceived attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians. Conversely, a higher level of education and a reported mismatch between the patient's sex and gender were associated with higher scores.
Most participants reported positive perceived attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians. However, some age groups and adherents of Islam showed lower perceived attitude scores and reported feeling uncomfortable receiving medical treatment from LGBTQ + physicians. On the one hand, LGBTQ + physicians have cause to be concerned about this point; on the other hand, finding appropriate approaches to promote positive attitudes toward LGBTQ + physicians among these groups of people remains a necessity.
本研究旨在分析泰国南部精神病患者对 LGBTQ+医生的感知态度及其相关因素。
2023 年 5 月至 7 月，在泰国南部的四家精神病门诊进行了一项横断面研究。使用的问卷包括：1）人口统计学信息问卷，2）对 LGBTQ+医生态度的问卷，3）评估个体在接受医疗时对 LGBTQ+医生态度的问卷，以及 4）医患关系问卷。所有数据均采用描述性统计进行分析，并采用 Wilcoxon 秩和检验、Kruskal-Wallis 检验和线性回归分析与感知 LGBTQ+医生态度相关的因素。分析使用 R 基金会的统计计算软件，版本 4.3.1。定义统计学意义为 p 值小于 0.05。
在我们的 542 名参与者中，平均年龄为 36.3±14.1 岁。大多数参与者为女性（64.6%）、佛教徒（62.4%）和抑郁症患者（46.3%）。大约四分之三的参与者与医生的关系良好（74.0%）。感知 LGBTQ+医生态度的中位数（IQR）评分为 75（66，88）。主要的是，LGBTQ+医生被认为是正常的（76.3%），是社会的一部分（88.7%）。此外，我们的参与者不同意将 LGBTQ+医生视为罪恶（70.6%）或不道德（68.2%）的观点。他们在接受病史询问（79.0%）、不涉及身体隐私部位的体检（72.5%）以及 LGBTQ+医生管理医疗（78.4%）和精神科疾病（81.4%）时感到舒适。然而，他们报告在涉及私人事务的病史询问（6.3%）和隐私部位的体检（16.4%）中感到不舒服。年龄较大、没有 LGBTQ+近亲/朋友、以及是穆斯林与感知 LGBTQ+医生态度的评分较低有关。相反，较高的教育水平和报告的患者性别与性别不匹配与较高的评分有关。
大多数参与者对 LGBTQ+医生的感知态度较为积极。然而，一些年龄组和伊斯兰教的信徒表现出较低的感知态度评分，并报告在接受 LGBTQ+医生的治疗时感到不舒服。一方面，LGBTQ+医生有理由对此感到担忧；另一方面，寻找适当的方法来促进这些人群对 LGBTQ+医生的积极态度仍然是必要的。
