Assessment of the Level of Understanding on Sexual Minorities Among Medical Practitioners in Govt Hospitals of Tamilnadu

Gender and Sexual minorities refer to groups who experience unequal treatment and is characterized by physical and cultural distinctions from the dominant group, often facing prejudice and discrimination. In India varied levels of understanding regarding sexual minorities among medical practitioners, with a general trend of limited formal training in LGBTQIA+ health needs, leading to potential discrimination and non-inclusive care. A cross-sectional study is conducted among 100 randomly selected registered medical practitioners in government hospitals of Tamil Nadu. Among the study participants 32% of doctors had an understanding on sexual minorities with their undergraduate degree knowledge,57% had an understanding on sexual minorities with the postgraduate degree knowledge. While 43% gained understanding in their clinical practice.27% of medical practitioners had knowledge on transgender act.63% of the medical practitioners had a perception on sexual minorities that they are obese.35% felt the sexual minorities are having multiple sexual partners,25% felt they are having mental health issues,40% perceived that the sexual minorities had injuries due to violence,82% of the practitioners perceived the sexual minorities are under substance usage. 12% of the practitioners felt the sexual minorities are adequately immunized. It was observed that a considerable proportion of participants had limited knowledge about these groups, with only a minority having received undergraduate education or practical experience related to Female sex workers (FSWs), Men having sex with men (MSMs), and transgender health issues. Additionally, awareness of key legislative acts, such as the Transgender Act, was notably low among the surveyed medical practitioners. It is imperative to prioritize the integration of FSW, MSM, and transgender health education into medical curricula and continuing education programs for practicing medical professionals.