Arthur Elizabeth K, Fuller John, Durusan Sofialyn, Gill Jeff, Niles Kaleigh, Gault Caroline, Oliveri Jill M, Paskett Electra, Oppong Bridget A
Nursing Research Department, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH, United States.
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.
J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2025 Jul 1;2025(69):103-110. doi: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgaf012.
Though sexual and gender minority people experience multiple cancer disparities, they remain largely invisible in oncology clinical care. Despite repeated calls by national medical and oncology organizations to address the lack of sexual orientation and gender identity data, there remains a dearth of information to guide research, clinical care, and creation of national priorities to address important health inequities. We aimed to develop effective strategies to collect sexual orientation and gender identity data within our Midwestern Comprehensive Cancer Center based on barriers and facilitators identified by community members, staff, and clinicians.
We conducted 5 focus groups of sexual and gender minority and cisgender, heterosexual community members (n = 24). We interviewed clinicians and registration staff across 3 ambulatory cancer clinics (n = 27). Rapid qualitative analysis was used to identify themes from focus groups and interviews.
Focus group participants' average age was 37 years with a majority identifying as White (79%, n = 19) and non-Hispanic (92%, n = 22); most participants were women (58%, n = 14) and queer (58%, n = 14). Staff and clinicians' average age was 40 years; most identified as White (82%, n = 22), women (82%, n = 22), and straight (82%, n = 22). Qualitative themes to guide sexual orientation and gender identity data collection included comfort and trust, support services, physical space, training, data collection procedures, data access and privacy, and influence on care.
To encourage patient disclosure, a supportive environment where privacy is upheld and health-care staff are trained to competently interact with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, plus patients is needed. We also share our process of sexual orientation and gender identity data collection implementation at our cancer hospital.
尽管性取向和性别少数群体面临多种癌症差异，但在肿瘤临床护理中他们在很大程度上仍未得到关注。尽管国家医学和肿瘤学组织多次呼吁解决性取向和性别认同数据缺失的问题，但仍缺乏信息来指导研究、临床护理以及制定国家优先事项以解决重要的健康不平等问题。我们旨在根据社区成员、工作人员和临床医生所确定的障碍和促进因素，制定有效的策略，在我们的中西部综合癌症中心收集性取向和性别认同数据。
我们对性取向和性别少数群体以及顺性别、异性恋社区成员进行了5次焦点小组讨论（n = 24）。我们采访了3家门诊癌症诊所的临床医生和登记工作人员（n = 27）。采用快速定性分析从焦点小组讨论和访谈中确定主题。
焦点小组参与者的平均年龄为37岁，大多数人认同为白人（79%，n = 19）和非西班牙裔（92%，n = 22）；大多数参与者为女性（58%，n = 14）和酷儿（58%，n = 14）。工作人员和临床医生的平均年龄为40岁；大多数人认同为白人（82%，n = 22）、女性（82%，n = 22）和异性恋（82%，n = 22）。指导性取向和性别认同数据收集的定性主题包括舒适与信任、支持服务、物理空间、培训、数据收集程序、数据访问与隐私以及对护理的影响。
为鼓励患者披露信息，需要一个维护隐私且医疗保健人员接受培训以与女同性恋、男同性恋、双性恋、跨性别者、酷儿及其他患者进行有效互动的支持性环境。我们还分享了我们癌症医院实施性取向和性别认同数据收集的过程。
