"Coming Out” Against Cancer: Increasing Rural Nurse Practitioner Students’ Awareness Regarding Clinical Cancer Screening in LGBTQ+

Introduction: Clinical cancer screening rates are low among patients who identify as LGBTQ+, especially in rural areas. It is important for rural nurse practitioner (NP) students to be aware of health disparities in cancer screenings among LGBTQ+ and be able to effectively promote cancer screenings in this population. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine rural NP students’ knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of barriers to cancer screenings among LGBTQ+ and to educate NP students on inclusivity related to cancer screenings in this marginalized group. Sample: Nurse practitioner students at a public, rural, liberal arts university Method: Rural NP students participated in an interactive, in-person workshop to which the community was also invited. Didactic information was provided regarding barriers to/awareness of the need for cancer screenings among LGBTQ+ individuals. Students also created educational materials for use in community prevention programming. An anonymized online post-survey assessed NP students’ knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and awareness of cancer screenings among LGBTQ+. Findings: Over 90% of participants (n=62) reported increased knowledge about the healthcare needs of LGBTQ+ populations. The largest mean level of agreement was observed with the statements, “how knowledgeable are you about the healthcare needs of LGBTQ+ populations?” and “how knowledgeable are you about current terms that should be used to increase inclusivity of LGBTQ+ populations in a healthcare setting?”, both resulting in a mean score of 3.52 corresponding with “very knowledgeable”. Three qualitative themes included recognizing the significance of culturally appropriate communication, having increased awareness of recommendations for cancer screening in the LGBTQ+ population, and the importance of reflecting on internal personal biases. Conclusion: Curricular strategies that promote awareness and increase knowledge of LGBTQ+ patient needs are essential to develop a rural NP workforce that can promote health equity and competently care for all patients.