Attitude of medical and nursing students towards lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people: A cross-sectional study

Background Healthcare providers need to be aware of stigma and risks that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) patients but often lack the experience and may hold homophobic attitudes, making it difficult to care for such patients. We aimed to study the attitudes of medical and nursing students towards LGBT people. Methods This observational cross-sectional study was done between November and December 2021 among medical and nursing students of Government Bundelkhand Medical College, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Data were collected on sociodemographic variables and attitudes towards LGBT using a semi-structured questionnaire. The attitude was measured using a five-point Likert scale, which included a 14-item questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results A total of 155 students participated, comprising 91 medical students and 64 nursing students. The mean age of participants was 23.2 (3.6) years, and most participants were female (67.1%). Overall, 96.1% of students believed healthcare providers should care for LGBT patients, and 89.7% believed they deserved equal care. However, 30.3% would prefer not to treat LGBT patients, and 14.8% believed that they should go to LGBT clinics. The gender and sexual orientation of the study participants influenced the responses. Conclusions Our study offers preliminary insight into the attitudes of Indian medical and nursing students towards LGBT individuals and reveals mixed responses.