Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier 1, Rome, Italy.
Department of Humanities, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Porta di Massa 1, Naples, Italy.
Clin Psychol Rev. 2024 Nov;113:102488. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102488. Epub 2024 Aug 15.
LGBTQ+ patients exhibit higher rates of mental disorder relative to the general population. This is particularly concerning since deficiencies in mental health practitioners' skills and knowledge, along with negative attitudes and behaviors, are associated with a decreased likelihood of LGBTQ+ patients seeking mental healthcare services and an increased likelihood of reporting unmet mental healthcare needs. To address these concerns, a mixed-method systematic review was conducted to evaluate mental health practitioners' attitudes towards and knowledge of LGBTQ+ patients and the impact of these factors on service utilization. Thirty-two relevant empirical qualitative and quantitative studies were retrieved from five databases following PRISMA guidelines, for a total of N = 13,110 mental health practitioners included. The results indicated that mental health practitioners generally hold affirming attitudes towards LGBTQ+ patients. However, significant gaps in practitioners' knowledge and skills emerged, describing feelings of inadequate skill, lack of competence, low clinical preparedness in addressing specific LGBTQ+ needs, insufficient training opportunities, and desire for further education on LGBTQ+ issues. These findings underscore the need to enhance inclusivity and cultural competence at both organizational and educational levels. Such improvements are essential to better care for LGBTQ+ patients and reduce disparities in access to mental health services.
与一般人群相比，LGBTQ+ 患者表现出更高的精神障碍率。鉴于心理健康从业者的技能和知识不足，以及负面态度和行为与 LGBTQ+ 患者寻求精神保健服务的可能性降低以及未满足的精神保健需求的可能性增加有关，这一点尤其令人担忧。为了解决这些问题，进行了一项混合方法系统评价，以评估心理健康从业者对 LGBTQ+ 患者的态度和知识，以及这些因素对服务利用的影响。根据 PRISMA 指南，从五个数据库中检索到 32 项相关的实证定性和定量研究，共有 13,110 名心理健康从业者被纳入研究。结果表明，心理健康从业者普遍对 LGBTQ+ 患者持有肯定的态度。然而，从业者的知识和技能存在明显差距，他们表示在解决特定的 LGBTQ+需求方面技能不足、缺乏能力、临床准备不足、培训机会有限，并希望进一步接受 LGBTQ+问题的教育。这些发现强调了在组织和教育层面增强包容性和文化能力的必要性。这种改进对于更好地照顾 LGBTQ+ 患者以及减少精神保健服务获取方面的差异至关重要。
