Nurses’ reflections on caring for sexual and gender minorities pre-post stigma reduction training in Uganda

Abstract

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) have a significant HIV burden worldwide. Data from eight countries across sub-Saharan Africa found a pooled HIV prevalence of 14% among MSM and 25% among TGW. Stigma and discrimination among healthcare providers are barriers to healthcare access by these populations. We sought to explore nurses’ attitudes before and after sensitivity training to reduce stigma in HIV prevention and care provision to MSM and transgender persons in Uganda. Methods An explorative qualitative study comprising in-depth interviews. Nineteen nurses who underwent sensitivity training in caring for the vulnerable, priority and key populations in Uganda participated. We interviewed each participant before and after the stigma reduction training and analyzed the data with NVivo. Results Eight (8) themes emerged from the reflections before the training, namely, ‘the definition of MSM and transgender persons’, ‘legal concerns’, ‘mental illness’, ‘attitude in health care provision’, ‘personal perceptions’, ‘self-efficacy’, ‘insufficient training preparation’, and ‘reasons for gender or sexual orientation preference’. The post-training reflections suggested a change in knowledge and attitude. Five themes emerged for MSM: ‘stigma reduction’, ‘sexual practices and sexuality’, ‘the need for tailored health approaches’, ‘MSM and the law’ and ‘corrected misconceptions’. For transmen, ‘reproductive health needs’, ‘social needs’, ‘safety needs’, ‘Gender identity recognition’ and ‘reduced stigma, discrimination, and barriers to care’. Finally, the reflections on their attitudes towards transwomen were on five topics; Gender affirming care’, ‘Healthcare provision for transwomen’, ‘Need for further training’, ‘New knowledge acquired’, and ‘Sexual violence’. Conclusion Nurses’ attitudes and empathy for vulnerable and key populations improved following the training. Nursing training programs should consider incorporating sexual and gender minority (SGM) specific health training into their curricula to decrease negative attitudes. There is a need to identify best practices and conduct implementation research to provide culturally sensitive and affirming healthcare delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. Future studies should evaluate the effect of provider sensitivity training on sexual health and HIV outcomes for SGM. Furthermore, interventions targeting higher-level stigma, such as structural and policy levels, are critical because they influence interpersonal stigma reduction efforts and initiatives.

HIV-related stigma, depression and suicidal ideation among HIV-positive MSM in China: a moderated mediation model

“…Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to strengthen identity recognition and reduce HIV-stigma, thereby reducing the prevalence of suicidal ideation among HIV-positive MSM. A qualitative study conducted in Uganda showed that increasing knowledge of specific care concerning MSM among healthcare providers in general healthcare settings to mitigate negative experiences of MSM is helpful to identity recognition [ 42 ]. Another cross-sectional survey conducted in Changsha pointed out that increasing awareness of mental health conditions and strengthening self-regulation skills are useful to avoid HIV-related stigma and further reduce suicidal ideation among HIV-positive MSM [ 37 ].…”

Healthcare access and barriers to utilization among transgender and gender diverse people in Africa: a systematic review

“…Criminalization and oppressive legislature were discussed in five studies [ 29 , 48 , 68 – 70 ]. Findings revealed that criminalization directly and indirectly affects healthcare service access.…”

“…Some TGD people may delay seeking care and treatment, while others may face barriers like community discrimination that prevent them from reaching health facilities [ 68 ]. Several nurses in a study by Muwanguzi et al [ 48 ] expressed reluctance, fearing criminal complicity, and mentioned their inclination to involve the police when encountering TGD people.…”

Sexual Behavior, Self-declaration of Sexual Orientation, and Violence Experience: National Health Survey, Brazil, 2019

“…It is well-known that sexual minorities experience stigma and discrimination worldwide (23)(24)(25). In Brazil, the underestimation of MSM and WSW size estimates based on the self-declared sexual orientation suggests that gay and bisexual communities experience various psychological challenges related to their sexuality and gender identity disclosure (26).…”