Health Professionals’ Attitudes Towards Lesbian and Gay Individuals, and Levels of Homophobia and Empathy: A Case of Turkey

Year 2023, Volume: 12 Issue: 3, 902 - 909, 26.09.2023

Merve Aydın , Ceyda Uzun Şahin

https://doi.org/10.37989/gumussagbil.1320977

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the attitudes, homophobia, and empathy levels of healthcare professionals toward Lesbian and Gay individuals. This descriptive and cross-sectional study’s population consisted of healthcare workers working in hospitals in Turkey between April 2022 and August 2022. Using snowball method, 678 healthcare professionals who consented to participate in the study were recruited for the study. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researchers, the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gays Scale (ATLGS), the Hudson and Ricketts Homophobia Scale (HRHS), and the Toronto Empathy Scale (TES).79.4% of the participants reported that caring for Lesbian and Gay (LG) individuals is no different from caring for heterosexual individuals. Low homophobia levels, work experience, and the existence of gay friends were identified as factors significantly influencing healthcare professionals’ positive attitudes toward LG. Healthcare professionals have partially positive attitudes about LG individuals and partially homophobic attitudes, and their empathetic abilities influence their attitudes toward them.

Keywords

Healthcare professionals, lesbian, gay, homophobia, empathy

Project Number

yok

Sağlık Profesyonellerinin Lezbiyen ve Gey Bireylere Yönelik Tutumları, Homofobi ve Empati Düzeyleri: Türkiye Örneği

Abstract

Bu çalışma sağlık profesyonellerinin lezbiyen ve gey bireylere yönelik tutumları, homofobi ve empati düzeylerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla yapıldı. Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel tipteki araştırmanın evrenini Nisan-Ağustos 2022 tarihleri arasında Türkiye’de hastanelerde görev yapan sağlık çalışanları oluşturdu. Rastgele örnekleme yöntemi ile çalışmaya katılmaya gönüllü olan 678 sağlık çalışanı araştırma kapsamına alındı. Araştırmada veriler, veri toplama aracı olarak araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilen soru formu, Lezbiyen ve Geylere Yönelik Tutum (LGYT) Ölçeği, Hudson ve Ricketts Homofobi Ölçeği (HRHÖ) ve Toronto Empati Ölçeği ile toplandı. Katılımcıların %79.4’ü eşcinsel bir bireye bakım verirken bu sürecin diğer bireylere bakım/tedavi vermekten farklı bir durum oluşturmadığını ifade etti. Sağlık profesyonellerinin LG bireylere yönelik olumlu tutumunu önemli ölçüde etkileyen faktörler; düşük homofobi düzeyi, artan çalışma yılı ve eşcinsel arkadaş varlığı olarak belirlendi. Sağlık profesyonellerinin LG bireylere karşı kısmen olumlu tutuma, kısmen düşük homofobik tutuma sahip oldukları ve empatik becerinin LG bireye karşı tutumu etkilediği sonucuna varılmıştır.

Keywords

empati, Sağlık profesyoneli, Lezbiyen, Gey, homofobi

Supporting Institution

yok

Project Number

yok

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