"I don't just say, Hi! I'm gay": Sexual Orientation Disclosures in Oncology Clinic Settings Among Sexual Minority Women Treated for Breast Cancer in the U.S. South.
Janeane N Anderson, Andrew J Paladino, Andrew Robles and 2 others
PMID 37331879WHAT IT FOUND
All participants had disclosed to some family or friends, but half had not told their oncologist.
They often disclosed indirectly, by naming a partner, when trust and safety made it seem worthwhile.
Key findings
01Half of the participants had not disclosed their sexual orientation to their oncologist.
02Seven participants introduced a spouse or long-term partner by first name or title during initial oncology visits as a passive disclosure.
03Two participants preferred intake forms asking relationship status and partner gender, but one participant feared electronic health records could expose her orientation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This was a qualitative interview study of 12 women, so it describes experiences and preferences rather than testing whether any practice improves outcomes. Only women comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation for a research study were recruited, so women who conceal their orientation completely may be missing. The study did not explicitly recruit women born or raised in the South, so perspectives may differ for people who moved to the region. All participants were cisgender and most identified as lesbian, so the findings may not represent other sexual minority women. The analysis relied on consensus coding by a small team.
Declared interests
The authors report financial support from the National Cancer Institute. One author reports a relationship with Pfizer that includes funding grants. One author reports financial support from Thomas Jefferson University.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that asking about sexual orientation will improve cancer outcomes or that these findings prove a communication intervention works. The study only describes 12 women's disclosure experiences and preferences.