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ABSTRACT
Objective: To better understand survivorship care needs among LGBT cancer survivors. Design: We administered an anonymous online survey. Sample: LGBT cancer survivors living in the United States. Methods: Participants were recruited via the National LGBT Cancer Project. The survey measured sociodemographic characteristics, social support, posttraumatic stress, and survivorship care needs. Results: Approximately 72% of our 114 participants were cisgender male and 87% were white. Almost all participants reported at least some unmet survivorship care needs (73%), with over half of participants reporting unmet psychological and sexuality care needs. Participants who reported their oncologist was not LGBT-competent had greater unmet needs (t(82) = 2.5, p = 0.01) and greater posttraumatic stress (t(91) = 2.1, p = 0.035). Conclusions: LGBT cancer survivors have significant unmet survivorship care needs, and lack of oncologist LGBT-competence is associated with unmet needs. Implications for Psychosocial Providers: Our results suggest the need for LGBT competency training for providers.
Disclosure
The research team and authors have no competing financial interests or other conflicts of interest.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the teenagers whom they are so privileged to work with. Their candidness in sharing their journeys with them was awe-inspiring. A special thanks to their colleague Jennifer Mingori who ran the concurrent parent group. The research team would like to acknowledge the Garron Family Cancer Centre who generously funded the Photovoice group and exhibition. The authors would also like to acknowledge that MN and GG were funded by grants from the Garron Family Cancer Centre Nursing and Allied Health Summer Student Program at the Hospital for Sick Children.