The Challenge of Coming Out to Providers by Gay and Bisexual Men With Prostate Cancer: Qualitative Results from the Restore Study.

This study investigates the experience of communicating sexual orientation by gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men (GBM) to physicians involved in their prostate cancer care. Methodology consisted of qualitative analysis conducted on 30 in-depth interviews of GBM recruited from a national online cancer support site. Results revealed four key strategies around sexual disclosure. These ranged from explicitly outing themselves to selective or non-disclosure. Disclosures had unpredictable multiple outcomes ranging from increased trust in the patient-physician relationship to seeking alternate treatment. We concluded competent care is achieved when physicians know their patient's sexual orientation, and are trained in them.

International journal of sexual health : official journal of the World Association for Sexual Health. 2021 Aug 13 [Epub]

William West, Maria Beatriz Torres, Darryl Mitteldorf, Benjamin D Capistrant, Badrinath R Konety, Elizabeth Polter, B R Simon Rosser

Department of Writing Studies, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA., Communications Studies, Mercyhurst University, Erie, Pennsylvania, USA., Malecare Cancer Support, New York, New York, USA., School of Social Work, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA., Department of Urology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA., Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.