Projeto – Pulsar

PULSAR

The role of LGBTQ+ professionals in inclusive healthcare

Abstract

The PULSAR project aims to map the experiences of LGBTQ+ healthcare providers in Portugal. As recent literature shows, LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals are often overlooked as key actors in promoting and implementing inclusive healthcare practices. On the one hand, they face the stigma and discrimination also experienced by LGBTQ+ patients and often choose to hide their identity or endure additional work-related pressures. On the other hand, they represent a key actor in providing expertise and knowledge to improve inclusion in healthcare settings.

n the Portuguese context, the topic has not yet been explored and existing research, although scarce, focuses on the experiences of LGBTQ+ patients. PULSAR aims to be the first exploration of the experiences of LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals in the country and therefore has strong relevance for both the national and international fields.

The choice of the name PULSAR evokes two key aspects of the project. First, in English, a “pulsar” is a small but dense star that emits signals outside its magnetic poles: metaphorically, although LGBTQ+ professionals may represent only a small portion of the overall population of healthcare providers, they are key actors in shaping practices and triggering change that goes far beyond healthcare settings. However, “pulsar” in Portuguese is a verb that means “to pulse” or “to beat”, and is often used to indicate the beating of the heart: in this sense, the project aims to explore a vital, although lesser-known, center of innovation in health practices and value its potential and liveliness.

The project emphasizes the symbolic and material leverage of what happens in medical wards and the extent to which these spaces can replicate or reduce discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics. Furthermore, it refers to the need to reward LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals with recognition of their importance as key agents of inclusion in healthcare.

The PULSAR project has a strong exploratory component and aims to produce a lasting impact on the transformation of healthcare by producing guidance, engaging key stakeholders and valuing embedded experiences.

Outcomes

It has three main objectives:

Review: to map the contemporary situation of LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals in Portugal, including their experiences and needs;
Respond: design intervention strategies and guidelines to increase inclusion in the health system;
Rebuild: encourage cross-cutting alliances between healthcare providers and the LGBTQ+ population through the mediating role of LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals.

The project is divided into three main phases that reflect the three main objectives.

Phase 1, REVIEW, aims to map the current experiences of LGBTQ+ SPs in Portugal. Considering that no study to date has collected such data, the exploratory dimension of this phase is crucial. Data collection will be developed following a mixed-method approach: an online questionnaire and qualitative interviews.
Phase 2, RESPOND, aims to develop and disseminate guidelines to be implemented in health systems. The aim is to publish a manual of guidelines to improve the inclusion of SPs. The guidelines are primarily targeted at healthcare institutions, policymakers, and professional bodies.
Phase 3, REBUILD, aims to provide a platform for LGBTQ+ healthcare professionals to engage in dialogue with both professional peers and LGBTQ+ activists. A one-day national event, open to LGBTQ+ activists and healthcare professionals, will be organized. The objective is to give visibility to the central role of LGBTQ+ professionals in promoting inclusion in healthcare; disseminate the guidelines and recommendations that have emerged from their experiences and create a platform for dialogue that can lead to future alliances.

Given its ambitious outlines, the PULSAR project works to implement innovative practices and value existing embedded knowledge to produce more just, inclusive and diverse health environments.