Development of a Culturally Sensitive Intervention for Cervical Cancer Screening Promotion for Latinx Transgender Individuals

TL;DR

This study developed a training intervention to help medical students better support Latinx transgender individuals in cervical cancer screening, showing promising results in improving provider behaviors.

Contribution

A novel, culturally sensitive intervention using standardized patient simulations to train medical students in trans-inclusive cervical cancer screening.

Findings

The intervention showed medium to large effects on provider behaviors in the experimental group.

Participants reported increased confidence and found the training to be helpful and appropriate.

Abstract

Trans men and non‐binary people face some of the most challenging cancer health disparities. Primary care physicians could play a key in addressing these, but many clinicians' lack the necessary skill to discuss cervical screening with trans people as these are not routinely taught in medical school. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop an intervention to foster medical students' skills for cervical cancer screening and to examine its initial impact and feasibility.

Our research team is comprised of academic researchers, clinicians, and community members. Together, we developed a 2‐h intervention which we implemented using Standardized Patient Simulations (TM actors portraying the role of a TM patient) to observe provider behaviors (general care behaviors, gender affirming behaviors and cervical cancer preventive behaviors) and self‐reported measures to examine study outcomes. The total sample consisted of 37 third‐year medical students. Welch's t‐test was used to compare the intervention effects on all outcomes.

Results suggest the intervention had medium to large effects on all examined behaviors. Behaviors improved in the experimental group compared to the control group and all changes were statistically significant. In general, the intervention was seen as feasible and appropriate with participants mentioning it was “very helpful” and emphasizing the importance of discussing trans health care as part of their medical training as this improves their “confidence.”

Although the sample size was small, results show a potentially promising intervention. We provide an overview of the content of the intervention and discuss future research directions.

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