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CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Midwifery students' knowledge and attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people and their healthcare needs: Impact of a structured 3-hour educational intervention – results from the HFRI-funded ATHENA study
1
Department of Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
2
Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Health and Caring Sciences, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece
Publication date: 2025-10-24
Corresponding author
Angeliki Antonakou
Department of Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
Department of Midwifery, School of Health Sciences, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece
Eur J Midwifery 2025;9(Supplement 1):A16
ABSTRACT
Background:
LGBTQ+ individuals experience significant disparities in sexual and reproductive healthcare. The growing demand for reproductive equality underscores the need for inclusive midwifery services that support diverse family structures. This study is funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the “Basic Research Financing” call within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” and supported by the European Union NextGenerationEU.
Aims and Objectives:
This study is the first to assess baseline attitudes and knowledge of final-year midwifery students in Greece toward LGBTQ+ health needs and to evaluate the impact of a tailored educational intervention.
Methods:
The structured 3-hour educational intervention comprised a didactic lecture and case-based discussions addressing gender equality, reproductive health rights, and perinatal care for LGBTQ+ populations. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered to 61 final-year midwifery students across three venues (November–December 2024). The validated Greek version of Wahlen’s questionnaire (2020) alongside an ad-hoc assessment tool specifically developed to measure knowledge of LGBTQ+ reproductive health needs in Greece were used.
Results:
Participants had a mean age of 21.8±2.2 years, with 98.4% identifying as women, 80.3% as heterosexual, and 49.2% as religious. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed significant improvements in student midwives’ attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people and knowledge following the intervention (p0.05). Mean knowledge scores increased from 49.32% (SD=15.24%) pre-intervention to 65.44% (SD=12.06%) post-intervention (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
These results highlight the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in reducing gaps in midwifery students’ knowledge and promoting equitable healthcare practices. Integrating LGBTQ+ health education into midwifery curricula is crucial to empower future healthcare providers to deliver inclusive, high-quality care to this vulnerable population.
LGBTQ+ individuals experience significant disparities in sexual and reproductive healthcare. The growing demand for reproductive equality underscores the need for inclusive midwifery services that support diverse family structures. This study is funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the “Basic Research Financing” call within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” and supported by the European Union NextGenerationEU.
Aims and Objectives:
This study is the first to assess baseline attitudes and knowledge of final-year midwifery students in Greece toward LGBTQ+ health needs and to evaluate the impact of a tailored educational intervention.
Methods:
The structured 3-hour educational intervention comprised a didactic lecture and case-based discussions addressing gender equality, reproductive health rights, and perinatal care for LGBTQ+ populations. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered to 61 final-year midwifery students across three venues (November–December 2024). The validated Greek version of Wahlen’s questionnaire (2020) alongside an ad-hoc assessment tool specifically developed to measure knowledge of LGBTQ+ reproductive health needs in Greece were used.
Results:
Participants had a mean age of 21.8±2.2 years, with 98.4% identifying as women, 80.3% as heterosexual, and 49.2% as religious. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed significant improvements in student midwives’ attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people and knowledge following the intervention (p0.05). Mean knowledge scores increased from 49.32% (SD=15.24%) pre-intervention to 65.44% (SD=12.06%) post-intervention (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
These results highlight the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in reducing gaps in midwifery students’ knowledge and promoting equitable healthcare practices. Integrating LGBTQ+ health education into midwifery curricula is crucial to empower future healthcare providers to deliver inclusive, high-quality care to this vulnerable population.
| eISSN: | 2585-2906 |
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