Reframing Personal and Professional Values: A Substantive Theory of Facilitating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Youth-Inclusive Primary Health Care by Nurses

ABSTRACT

LGBTI youth are prone to health-care inequalities and experience poorer health outcomes than the general population. Nurses are not always equipped to effectively respond to LGBTI healthcare needs. The aim of the study was to develop substantive theory based on the social processes involved in facilitating LGBTI youth-inclusive primary healthcare. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, a sample of seven nurses was interviewed. The codes and categories, that emerged during data analysis were conceptualized to develop the theory: “reframing personal and professional values” which is outlined in three phases. Phase 1 illuminates subtle and covert ways that nurses used to identify value-laden tension and conflict as barriers to LGBTI youth-inclusive care. Phase 2 and 3 reflect thoughtful and reflexive strategies that nurses used to facilitate nurse–patient interaction to resolve value-laden tension and conflict. The substantive theory provides a way of improving the healthcare and health-seeking behavior of LGBTI youth.

KEYWORDS:

• LGBTI youth
• nurses
• homosexuality
• primary health care
• sexual orientation
• youth-inclusive health care

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Department of Higher Education, and the South Association of Campus Health Services for their financial contribution, the universities and the health services concerned for permission to conduct this research. Special appreciation is extended to the participants in the study, SANTRUST and the funders who made this study possible.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.