Grant recipient: Dr Megan Ross APAM

Project title: Enhancing physiotherapy care for individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+).

Year awarded: 2019

Grant: Seeding Grant

Grant amount: $9,961.20 

Snapshot: Dr Megan Ross APAM developed an online, anonymous survey where people identifying as LGBTQIA+ could provide feedback on their experience seeing a physiotherapist in Australia. In the survey, participants were encouraged to share how they felt during consultations, situations that made them think about their gender and/or sexuality, whether they discussed their gender and/or sexuality with their physiotherapist and whether their physiotherapist assumed anything about them. 

The findings: The study found that people who identify as LGBTQIA+ can experience challenges when attending physiotherapy, as interactions with physiotherapists as well as the physiotherapy environment may lack inclusivity, which is inconsistent with national and global goals for inclusive healthcare. 

Benefits to the profession: A physiotherapy-specific, online, interactive and consumer-informed educational resource supporting the continuous education of physiotherapists and inform culturally safe, inclusive physiotherapy for LGBTQIA+ communities.

Read about the findings of Megan’s study in InMotion and hear her discuss the topic further on the Conference Conversations podcast episode, Patient centred care: promoting inclusive physiotherapy or Inclusive and respectful communication with the LGBTQIA+ community.