An Education Initiative to Reduce Stigma Towards Sex Workers and Sexual Minorities Among Nursing Students

NCT06434805 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: HE-NHS2024/02
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background: Sex workers and sexual minorities (SWSM) often encounter barriers when accessing healthcare services due to social stigma and discrimination. In Hong Kong, stigma and prejudice exist among nurses and nursing students toward SWSM. Aims: This education initiative aims to improve the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical competence of nursing students in caring for SWSM. Methods: This pilot study will employ a one-group pre-and post-test design. Convenience sampling will be used to recruit 32 nursing students from the clinical phase of the Bachelor of Nursing program at the School of Nursing and Health Studies of Hong Kong Metropolitan University, as well as nursing students from other local universities. The intervention will consist of a four-session one-day workshop based on social cognitive theory and interpersonal contact theory. The workshop will cover various topics, including terminologies, human rights, stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings, contact with SWSM, and skills building. The primary outcome measure will include participants' attitudes toward SWSM. Secondary outcome measures included their knowledge and clinical competence. These outcome measurements will be assessed at baseline (T0) and immediately after the intervention (T1) and two months follow up (T2). Additionally, focus group discussions will be carried out to explore participants' experiences of the intervention. Discussion: Findings from this study could contribute to the existing knowledge on stigma surrounding SWSM in Hong Kong and its impact on healthcare. The intervention is expected to increase the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of nursing students in providing care for SWSM. By promoting non-judgmental and equitable care, the research aims to contribute to the overall well-being and health outcomes of SWSM. These results will inform future nursing education curricula and clinical practice, facilitating the development of more inclusive and patient-centered care for marginalized populations in Hong Kong and beyond.

Conditions

Stigmatization; Sex Work; Homosexuality; Transgenderism

Keywords

gender and sexual minority; sex workers; cultural competency; nursing students

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• LGBT development of clinical skills scale (LGBT-DOCSS)

  LGBT-DOCSS will be used to assess nursing students' clinical skills in caring for sexual minorities. It includes 18 items crossing three domains: clinical preparedness, attitudinal attitudes, and basic knowledge. A 7-point Likert-type scale was used, with 1 = not at all true, 4 = somewhat true, and 7 = total true. The total score ranges from 18 to 126. Higher scores are indicative of higher levels of clinical preparedness and rudimentary knowledge and less prejudicial attitudinal awareness regarding LGBT clients/patients. LGBT-DOCSS was back-and-forth translated by the research team.

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, 2-months post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Acceptability of the workshop

  baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 2-month follow-up.

Study Arms (1)

Education workshop

OTHER

This is a one-day workshop with four sessions.

Other: sex workers and sexual minorities education workshop

Interventions

sex workers and sexual minorities education workshop OTHER

The participants will receive a one-day workshop (four sessions). The generic content aims at enhancing the understanding of sexual orientation, gender identities, social stigma, sex work and sexual orientation and human rights (session 1), the lived experience of SWSM (session 2), the content specifically related to the medical and healthcare field, including be familiar with the professional and ethical obligations (session 3), the skills that can be adopted when providing services to SWSM (session 4).

Education workshop

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• aged 18 years of age or above;
• studying in the clinical phase (i.e., year 3 to year 5);
• are able to speak, read, and write Cantonese or Putonghua;
• are willing to participate in the study and share their experience of the education initiative with the research group;
• have informed consent to participate in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Those who have completed a similar workshop or discussion of sex workers and sexual minorities in previous nursing education will be excluded from this study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hong Kong Metropolitan University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Stereotyping; Sex Work; Homosexuality; Transsexualism; Coitus

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Social Behavior; Behavior; Sexual Behavior; Sexuality

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: A single group with outcome assessments will be taken at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 2-month follow-up.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 18, 2024
• First Posted: May 30, 2024
• Study Start: July 14, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 14, 2024
• Study Completion: September 14, 2024
• Last Updated: May 13, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

HK (1)