Purpose: This study aims to examine attitudes toward LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and more) physicians among Thai psychiatric patients and to identify associated factors across three regions of Thailand.
Patients and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to August 2023 in Central, Northern, and Southern Thailand. The Attitudes Toward LGBTQ+ Physician Questionnaire and a patient-doctor relationship questionnaire were utilized. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and linear regression.
Results: The study included 543 participants with a median age of 37 years (IQR 26-52), predominantly female (68.9%) and Buddhist (78.1%). The median score for perceived attitudes toward LGBTQ+ physicians was 86 (IQR 73.0-95.5), with significant regional variations. Most participants perceived LGBTQ+ physicians as normal (85.5%) and integral to society (94.5%). A significant portion disagreed with the idea that being an LGBTQ+ physician was sinful (85.3%) or immoral (84.0%). However, 20.3% expressed discomfort with the possibility of LGBTQ+ physicians conducting private physical examinations. Lower perceived attitudes were associated with older age and being Muslim. Conversely, higher education, female gender, having LGBTQ+ connections, and a reported gender non-conformity showed a correlation with more positive attitudes.
Conclusion: Thai psychiatric patients generally hold positive attitudes toward LGBTQ+ physicians, though demographic factors influence these attitudes. There needs to be a particular focus on improving attitudes regarding conducting private physical examinations to maximize patient comfort and trust.
Copyright: © 2024 Pitanupong et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.