Development and implementation of an LGBT initiative at a health sciences library: the first eighteen months
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2019.422Keywords:
LGBT, LGBT Health, Consumer Health, Program DevelopmentAbstract
Background: The University of Louisville School of Medicine is the pilot site for the eQuality project, an initiative to integrate training for providing care to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients into the standard medical school curriculum. Inspired by and in support of this School of Medicine initiative, Kornhauser Health Sciences Library staff have developing our own initiative. Because of past and current lack of competent provider training and the resulting need for patients to be knowledgeable self-advocates, however, our initiative was broadened to include the goal of providing LGBT individuals in our communities—both on campus and in the broader public—with the resources and tools that they need to access information about their own health.
Case Presentation: This paper describes the development of that twofold initiative and the tangible methods used in its implementation, including collection development, interdepartmental collaboration, electronic resource guide creation, and community engagement through outreach.
Conclusions: Outcomes of the initiative to date will also be discussed, along with plans for further development.References
Fikar CR, Keith L. Information needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered health care professionals: results of an Internet survey. J Med Libr Assoc. 2004 Jan;92(1):56–65.
Jabson JM, Patterson JG, Kamen C. Understanding health information seeking on the Internet among sexual minority people: cross-sectional analysis from the health information national trends survey. JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2017 Apr–Jun;3(2):e39–e. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/publichealth.7526.
Morris M, Roberto KR. Information-seeking behaviour and information needs of LGBTQ health professionals: a follow-up study. Health Inf Libr J. 2016 Sep;33(3):204–21. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hir.12139.
McKay B. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health issues, disparities, and information resources. Med Ref Serv Q. 2011 30(4):393–401. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2011.608971.
Blondeel K, Say L, Chou D, Toskin I, Khosla R, Scolaro E, Temmerman M. Evidence and knowledge gaps on the disease burden in sexual and gender minorities: a review of systematic reviews. Int J Equity Health. 2016 Jan 22;15:16. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12939-016-0304-1.
Freeland R, Rogers E, van Rooyen H, Darbes L, Saylor K, Stephenson R. Measurements of sexuality-based stigma among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in resource-poor settings: a review. AIDS Behav. 2018 May;22(5):1614–38. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10461-017-1975-3.
Hawkins BW, Morris M, Nguyen T, Siegel J, Vardell E. Advancing the conversation: next steps for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) health sciences librarianship. J Med Libr Assoc. 2017 Oct;105(4):316–27. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2017.206.
Morris M, Hawkins BW. Towards a new specialization in health librarianship: LGBTQ health. J Can Health Libr Assoc. 2016;37(1):20–3. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5596/c16-007.
Aguilar E, Fried J. Enhancing dental and dental hygiene student awareness of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population. J Dental Hygien. 2015 89(1):11–6. (Available from: http://jdh.adha.org/content/89/1/11>. [cited 13 Jun 2019].)
White W, Brenman S, Paradis E, Goldsmith ES, Lunn MR, Obedin-Maliver J, Stewart L, Tran E, Wells M, Chamberlain LJ, Fetterman DM, Garcia G. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patient care: medical students’ preparedness and comfort. Teach Learn Med. 2015;27(3):254–63. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10401334.2015.1044656.
Williams R, Romney C, Kano M, Wright R, Skipper B, Getrich C, Sussman A, Zyzanski S. Racial, gender, and socioeconomic status bias in senior medical student clinical decision-making: a national survey. J Gen Intern Med. 2015 Jun;30(6):758–67. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11606-014-3168-3.
University of Louisville. Campus pride index [Internet]. The University [cited 13 Jun 2019]. <https://www.campusprideindex.org/campuses/details/492?campus=university-of-louisville>.
Smith S. The health of LGBT patients is brighter thanks to them. Louisville Business First. 2017 2 Feb:17.
Coffman B. UofL’s LGBT-inclusive curriculum recognized for innovation in medical education. UofL News. 2017 28 Nov.
Flemming T, Sullivant J. Consumer health materials for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgendered people. Public Libr Q. 2000 Jun;18(3–4):95–107. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J118v18n03_12.
Phillips JD, Price AN. Selected list of GLBT academic publications. Serials Libr. 2012 Jul;63(1):55–81. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2011.591179.
Dahlhamer JM, Galinsky AM, Joestl SS, Ward BW. Sexual orientation and health information technology use: a nationally representative study of U.S. adults. LGBT Health. 2017 Apr;4(2):121–9.
