The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #63374

Kate Shirah, MPH, Lesbian Resource Center, 206 S Driver Street, Durham, NC 27703, 919 596-9334, shir5244@bellsouth.net, Katherine L. Turner, MPH, Training and Service Delivery Improvement Unit, Ipas, 300 Market St., Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, and Allan Steckler, DrPH, Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina, CB# 7400, 302 Rosenau Hall, School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400.

The health care needs of women who partner with women are often overlooked in the United States health care system. Lack of research on their specific health issues, the reluctance of many women who partner with women to reveal their sexual orientation and identity to researchers and health care providers, and homophobia and heterosexism in health care services: all contribute to the invisibility of the health care needs particular to women who partner with women. Therefore, in the Spring of 2001, the Lesbian Resource Center of Durham, NC, determined the need to develop a training curriculum for local health care providers regarding the health issues and needs of women who partner with women (WPW) in the Triangle area (Chapel Hill-Durham-Raleigh). Cultural competency frameworks, having been used extensively as a guide for training health care professionals in addressing the needs of diverse populations, serve as an ideal model for addressing the health issues and needs of WPW. In order to tailor the development of the training curriculum to the specific health needs of both Triangle WPW and health care providers, a qualitative data analysis was conducted of interviews with Triangle health care providers and WPW. This session details the background and purpose of this project; the curriculum development process; a discussion of the pilot training; a description of the curriculum; and recommendations for development of similar training curricula in other regions of the United States.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
• Identify key components in developing and evaluating a training curriculum for health care providers on the health issues and needs of women who partner with women.
• Describe a qualitative research process for tailoring a training curriculum on the health issues and needs of women who partner with women.

Keywords: Lesbian Health, Cultural Competency

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.