Are Nurses Homophobic? A Survey Study in Public Hospitals in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: Studies conducted with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people in Turkey have found that such people experience social isolation, neglect, insufficient healthcare services, and disrespect. However, no study has been reported related to clinicians' approaches and attitudes towards them. This study aimed to determine the attitudes of nurses towards homosexual individuals and the factors associated with the homophobia levels of nurses.

Design: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey study.

Methods: The study was conducted with 449 participants in four hospitals. Nurses who had been working for at least 1 year in the hospitals were included in the sample of the study. The data were collected by using a two-part survey form. The first part was an information form regarding the participants' socio-demographic and professional characteristics, and the second part was the Hudson and Ricketts Homophobia Scale. The data were analyzed using numbers, percentages, means, Cronbach's alpha internal consistency analysis, parametric tests (t test and analysis of variance), nonparametric tests (Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis) and multiple linear regression.

Findings: The study found that most of the Turkish nurses were not professionally homophobic. However, their personal homophobia scores were high. Their attitudes towards homosexuals varied by factors such as education level, acquaintance with LGBTI people, level of acquaintance, and locations of the hospitals.

Conclusions: Nurses who work in public hospitals stated that they would provide care for LGBTI people. However, their Homophobia Scale scores were over the mid-point. Subjects related to the health needs of LGBTI people should be included in the curricula of nursing departments and in in-service training at health service institutions.

Clinical relevance: LGBTI individuals have complained about the reaching out health care services and negative attitudes of health care professionals towards them. Findings of this study provides important data to understand the homophobia level and reasons of nurses to develop in-service education and training programs for coping and changing their negative attitudes.

Keywords: Healthcare service; homophobia; homosexuality; nursing.